A brother in the Lord asked if I would discuss dispensationalism and Zechariah 14 with a blogger who owns a bible prophecy website.  I gladly accepted the inviation and will provide to the reader the discussion as it occurred..  I have changed the web site owners name to “Brother” for the sake of his privacy, and each of my responses are italicized and indented for clarity sake.

Brother

Wow – a bit surprised by your comment.

I assumed that the cleansing of sin in Zech, due to your association of its description in the same context as the second coming of Jesus, would have the cleansing effect as described after the crucifixion, and not merely a ceremonial act. Hebrews mentions, not a ceremonial washing, but the actual sacrifices given in the old covenant, as being insufficient to “make the comers thereunto perfect”  If the sacrifices were not able, how much less a ceremonial washing?

Hebrews 10:1
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

(It would seem foolhardy to return to a shadow when the body is present!)

During my drive home tonight from work I was thinking about the original verse under consideration in context – Zech 14:3-5 – which states

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.

Verse 5 states “and ye shall flee…”

Who is fleeing?  If this is the second coming, all the Lords enemies will be destroyed, all the saved will be with the Lord, and if the mountain is cleft from east to west, any bystanders (who would be left?) will be destroyed by the techonic action.

And what are they fleeing from?  Obviously, if this is the second coming, the lost will be destroyed, the saved will be with the Lord and who else is there?

Have a great weekend!

Please visit next time as we continue to discuss issues that arise between my dispensational friend and myself.

Thanks for visiting and as always, I love getting comments from those who read this blog.

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