For Immediate Release:

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

ZECHARIAH 14| RESURRECTION AND THE RESTORATION OF “THE THRONE OF GOD”

In previous articles we have established that Zechariah 14 predicted the end of the age resurrection. We have likewise examined Zechariah in light of other resurrection texts, and shown that they never predicted “casket resurrection” i.e. the raising of corpses out of the ground. One of those key resurrection texts is Ezekiel 37.
In Ezekiel 37 the Lord foretold the time when Israel would be restored. God said he would “open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves” (Ezekiel 37:12). Israel’s restoration would be Israel’s resurrection.  Further, what needs to be seen is that this resurrection would be the restoration of the throne of God– the sovereignty of YHVH.
This resurrection would not be a raising from physical death and graves. It was to be a restoration to God in a New Covenant of peace (vs. 21-26).
The resurrection would be accomplished by the outpouring of the Spirit (vs. 14). The outpouring of the Spirit is associated with the last days of Israel’s Old Covenant Age (Joel 2-3). A New Covenant would be established and God’s New Tabernacle would also be among men (vs. 26-27).
It would be at this time of resurrection that God promised “David my servant shall be king over them, and they shall have one shepherd” (v. 24). This is the restoration of the throne of God- through the Messiah! It is also at this time that “one king shall be over them all” verse 22.
In the days of the outpouring of the Spirit, the New Covenant, the New Tabernacle, and the resurrection, God’s sovereignty– the throne of God– would be fully established over his New People. God would be “one” over all the people.
So, both Zechariah and Ezekiel predicted the time when the throne of God would be fully established and the Lord would rule in Zion (Ezekiel 37:22-24/ Zechariah 14:9-11). Both predicted the resurrection (Ezekiel 37:12-14/ Zechariah 14:8,11). Both predictions are set within the context of Israel’s last days (Ezekiel 37:14 with Joel 2-3/ Zechariah 14:1-5).
In our next installment, we will show how Zechariah 14 serves as a partial source for Paul’s prediction of the restoration of the throne of God through the resurrection– in 1 Corinthians 15, so, stay tuned!
For more on the relationship between Zechariah and the end times, see my book Who Is This Babylon? It contains a wealth of information that you will not find anywhere else! get your copy today!