God's Sovereignty Over Nations and History

I. God's Judgment on Israel's Enemies 9:1-17

A. He is Lord of all the Earth -- 1

The eyes of men are upon the Lord in verse 1.
In verse 8 – the eyes of the Lord are upon Israel.

B. Upheaval among the nations -- 2-7
Tyre was the most powerful of the various city-states in the region.
Shalmaneser of Assyria besieged the city for 5 years, but could not conquer it.
Nebuchadnezer tried for 13 years and failed
Around 333 B.C. almost 200 years after Zechariah's prophecy – Alexander the Great attacked the city and captured it in 7 months.

Alexander the Great in the Scriptures – Daniel 7:6; 8:5-8; 8:20-22; 11:3-4

C.  God's protection of Israel -- 8

II. The King is Coming 9:9-10

See Matthew 21:1-5  and Micah 4:2-4

III. God is the Defender of His People 9:11-17

v. 11-13 -- The covenant was sealed with blood – Exodus 24:5-8

v. 13 – Greece – This time Antiochus Epiphanes around 165 B.C.	
	
	The history of the Jewish revolt is found in the Apocraphyl book of 1 Maccabees.
	Although it is not inspired – it is considered reliable history.
	2 Maccabees covers the same time period, but from a more theological perspective.

v. 14-17 – Best understood in the light of  Messiah's second coming.
	The lost will be destroyed   2 Peter 3:10
	His people will be his “jewels”  Malachi 3:17