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| 1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. |
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| 2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. |
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| 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. |
Together against it – God declares that he will deliver regathered Israel from their enemies. R26:5, R593:2
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| 4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
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Smite every horse – Old, false, doctrinal hobby. C316
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| 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God. |
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| 6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. |
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| 7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. |
The tents of Judah – Israel, as a nation, will be the first among the nations to come into harmony with the new order of things. A294
The tribe of Judah, the principal tribe, in which was vested the kingly office. B206
The pious of the ten tribes had allied themselves with Judah, and were known as "Jews." R2084:6, R2380:2
To share in the covenant made with Abraham, any of the ten tribes must become associated with the literal Judah at Jerusalem. C294; R1341:2
First – The restoration of the Jew to Canaan is a beginning of restitution. R384:5
The Millennial favors will be to the Jews first. C256
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| 8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. |
In that day – Not now, but when the King shall reign in righteousness. R4715:6, R5031:2; Q426:1
Shall the LORD defend – He will reveal himself as Israel's deliverer. R148:5
Shall be as David – The Ancient Worthies, and through them the nation of Israel, will become the representatives of the heavenly Kingdom. R4320:5
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| 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. |
In that day – After spiritual Israel is complete. R5832:4
In the great time of trouble near at hand, which will include "Jacob's trouble" as well as "Babylon's fall." R2420:5
To destroy – Their deliverance will be so great that they will recognize God's power and favor; and, through nearness to God, in prayer and supplication, recognize that they rejected and pierced their Redeemer. R286:3
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| 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. |
And I will – During the Millennial age. R2605:2
Illustrating God's and Jesus' love for their enemies--a willingness to do for them whatever could be justly done; bearing no enmity or grudge in return for their hatred. F371
The restoration comes first. R102:1
Pour upon – The same outpouring of the holy Spirit as mentioned in Joel 2:28, 29. R2504:5, R376:5
One of the first things of the new order will be the pouring upon Israel of their share of blessings, and their eyes will be opened to recognize Him whom they rejected more than 1800 years ago. Q94:1
Part of this work of grace is the giving them of the message that the land is theirs that their period of chastisement is at an end, and that shortly blessings will come to them--not as Christians, but as Jews. R4735:6
Inhabitants – Israel, at the time of their return to prosperity; in the midst of their final struggle. OV81:3
Of Jerusalem – Those who, from respect for the promises, gather to Palestine. D627
Spirit of grace – A new will, mind or disposition in harmony with God. R2504:6
Prayer and supplication. R4735:6, R3982:4, R5719:6, R4710:6, R5571:4
In and through Jacob's trouble. SM426:T
Their iniquity first being pardoned. R5571:4
Forgiving them and making the experience profitable to as many as shall prove willing. OV194:4
The holy Spirit, the spirit of truth. When the truth shall be made known, with that truth will go its spirit--its influence and power to correct the heart and life, and bring it into accord with God. R2504:6
Opening the eyes of their understanding. SM533:T; R5571:4
The blessing of the Lord, coming upon Israel first, means also the blessing of the whole world. R5599:1
Receiving them back to favor, under the terms of the New covenant. R5442:6
Of supplications – Israel's praying, supplicating, will bring the blessings of the New covenant. R3970:3
Would that all Jews were in the attitude of prayer toward God, looking for the fulfillment of all the prophecies. CRI41:6
They – Israel. R5234:3, R5578:1
Shall look upon me – Jesus, who bears no enmity nor grudge toward them, but is ready to pour out upon them his Millennial blessings. F371
Aleph Tay, the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet; "I am the first and the last." (Rev. 1:17) R1948:4*
With the eye of faith (understanding). R5442:6, R5719:6, R4710:6, R5571:4, R148:4, R5599:1, R3950:5; HG390:2; D600
Israel's eyes will be the first eyes that will be opened. R5269:5, R1693:4, R4544:4
Recognize; identify the Deliverer as the one they once crucified. R148:4; D600; OV116:4
A few of the Jewish "common people" are already "looking unto Jesus." R2831:6, R2605:4, R1043:1, R748:4; HG387:4
Not now, but when the King shall reign in righteousness. Q426:1, Q422:3; R4715:6, R3896:6
Inquiring, Is not this the Christ? R2605:4
Seeing out of obscurity. B72
When their eyes first begin to see out of obscurity, there will not be anything that they can see with the natural sight. R5269:5
Recognize him as the promised seed of Abraham and their long-looked-for Messiah. R1747:2
Recognize him in consequence of a miraculous deliverance when God manifests his power on their behalf as in olden times. OV116:4
When they shall be saved, or recovered, from their blindness. SM532:2; HG443:6; Q171:3
Possibly upon Christ's human body which may be preserved somewhere as the grand memorial of God's love, Christ's obedience and our redemption, typified by the golden bowl of manna in the Ark. B130
Perhaps indicating that Jesus' spear-marked and nail-marked body is somewhere kept for future exhibit. R3377:1
Whom they have pierced – In the piercing of his side, the foundation was laid for the fulfillment of Scripture. R198:2*
Crucified; pierced by the spear and torn by the nails and thorns. B130
Whose death ratified, or made effective, the New covenant, through which Israel's favor comes. R1365:4
The full responsibility of the crucifixion was left with the Jews. "His blood be upon us and upon our children." (Matt. 27:25) R3896:6, R2472:6
Israel's pride led them to look only at the promises of glory, honor and power to accompany the exaltation of Israel, and ignore such passages as this which tell that Messiah must first be rejected. R4782:2
Mourn for him – Mourn that they rejected him. D600
Discerning that they made a great and horrible mistake in crucifying their long-promised Messiah, their Redeemer. SM426:T, R5578:1, R5599:1; Q421:3
They will be sorry; they will be cut to the heart. CR164:2; R5234:3
When their blindness shall be turned away. OV194:4; R5269:5; SM532:2
It was the prospect of this that assisted Jesus to so patiently endure. R1821:5
Be ashamed--a mourning of penitence and not of despair; caused by the spirit of favor which is shown them by the long-lost brother now restored. R58:1*
Mourn for their sins, and turn to the Lord. R102:1
At the close of the storm, all mankind--the Jew first--shall discern the new King and shall mourn for sin and that they ever, in blindness, rejected him. D600
The time of Israel's recognition indicates that the time of special favor to spiritual Israel must be correspondingly drawing to a close. R4670:1
Shouting, "Lo! this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us." (Isa. 25:9) R1693:4
As Joseph's brethren mourned for him. R3982:4, R58:1*
Weeping, as did the woman who poured the ointment on Jesus' feet. (Luke 7:38) R2626:6
Not with tears of hopeless sorrow. R2472:6
"Mourn over it." (Young's translation) R517:1*
As they come to see the actual facts. R1365:4
Their mourning will be a happy day for them. Their eyes will open then to see what the love of God really is. HG164:4
Their mourning will be turned into joy as they are freely forgiven. R4710:6
For his only son – "As over the only one." (Young's translation) R517:1*
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| 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. |
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| 12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; |
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| 13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; |
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| 14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. |
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