Zechariah 14v3-5 The Return of Christ, The Mount of Olives & The Earthquake Zechariah 14:3-5 (KJV): "3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee."
Zechariah 14:1-2 describe the nations coming against Jerusalem in battle and their apparent initial victory. Parallel quotations that could be considered are Ezekiel 38 and Daniel 11:40-45.
Zechariah 14:3 speaks of the LORD fighting "against these nations as when he fought in the day of battle". Ezekiel 38:19-22 and Daniel 11:45 appear to be parallel with this, speaking in terms found in the books of Joshua and Judges and elsewhere, when God "fought in the day of battle".
Zechariah 14:4 is remarkable as it speaks of "his ("the LORD" v3) feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives". This speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ and his judgment on the nations. It is significant that the Lord ascended from the Mount of Olives, and it is promised that he will return.
Acts 1:9-12 (KJV): "9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey."
Zechariah 14:4-5 speak of great topographical changes as a result of Christ's feet standing on the Mount of Olives. The inhabitants will flee, and Zechariah compares their fleeing to when they fled the earthquake in Uzziah's day. Remarkably there is no other direct record of this event, and Zechariah here through the Spirit confirms what they must have heard from their forbears or by history.
One prophecy that is significant is Isaiah 2:10-21. Isaiah prophesied of an earthquake, and it reads as if it is speaking of God's judgments at Christ's return. As Isaiah prophesied in the days of Uzziah, he could well have spoken this before Uzziah's earthquake, compare Isaiah 6:1, as Isaiah's prophecy seems to be sequential. Pride was a characteristic of King Uzziah himself 2 Chronicles 26:16, and most probably his times which were times of prosperity. This is similar to our times.
Isaiah 2:17 (KJV): "And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day."
If given before Uzziah's earthquake then this would be part of his ministry, to warn his contemporaries of things that would happen in their own day, and the reason for them, and also show forth the things that speak of Christ.
The present situation in the Middle East indicates that Christ's return is near at hand. May we look forward with joy to the coming times of refreshing and the restoration of all things at His return Acts 3:19-21.
Kind regards
Trevor
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