Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 101:402 (Apr 1944)
Article: Exegetical Studies in Zechariah Part 15
Author: Charles Lee Feinberg

BSac 101:402 (Apr 44) p. 187

Exegetical Studies in Zechariah
Part 15

Charles Lee Feinberg

(Continued from the January-March Number, 1944)

IV. The Future of the World Powers, Israel, and the Kingdom of Messiah, 9-14.

A. The First Burden, 9-11.

4. Additional Blessings for Israel, 10:1-12.

This chapter is so closely related to the preceding one that some expositors have suggested that verse one (others say verse two also) belongs to chapter nine. Although the tenth chapter does enlarge upon the theme of the ninth, there is no real necessity to transpose any of the verses of the present chapter. To do so would disrupt the continuity of thought between verse 2(b) and verse 3. It is sufficient to recognize that the prophet, having foretold blessings for Israel through the coming of her King of Peace, dilates upon the subject of Israel’s promises, contrasting at the same time their future blessedness with their past miseries due to their disobedience.

Zechariah, predicting the fruitfulness of the land in the Messianic era in 9:17, speaks in the same vein: “Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain, of Jehovah that maketh lightnings; and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field” (v. 1). The way of blessing is clear: they are to ask and God is both ready and willing to give them their request. Does the passage speak of literal rain or is the rain merely a symbol of spiritual blessings? Both positions have their advocates. The literal signification is taken by Wright, Dods, Pusey, Baron, Keil, and others. They do not deny, however, that the words may have a spiritual application also. Keil summarizes this position well: “The prayer for rain, on which the successful cultivation of the fruits of the ground depends, simply serves to individualize the prayer for the bestowal of the blessings of God, in order to sustain both temporal and spiritual life.”1 On the other hand, Chambers, Hengstenberg, Ironside, Dennett, and others understand the

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rain in a spiritual sense, or as representative of all blessings. Dennett restricts the reference to two specific events: he takes Pentecost as the former rain and the prophecy of Joel (3:1–2 Hebrew; Acts 2:17, 18) as the latter rain. The figurative meaning is explained by Ironside thus: “We need not be surprised [consideri...