Sermon Notes - Zechariah 9:1-10:12 - Future Promises - Rising Sun Baptist Church - October 25, 2026

1.        If you have your Bibles please open them to Zechariah 9:1.

a.        If you need a Bible feel free to grab a pew Bible.

2.        Have you ever had something you were looking forward to, but it was hard to imagine if it would ever get here?

a.        Maybe you had a special trip planned with that special someone.

b.       A trip you booked a year in advance.

c.        For most of that year it can be hard for that trip to seem real.

3.        The people in Jerusalem have heard that the temple was going to be rebuilt.

a.        They are seeing progress.

b.       They heard that more exiles will return home.

c.        They are seeing some, but the numbers are not there.

d.       They still see broken walls.

e.        People are on edge.

f.          It is hard to see the promised restoration.

g.        Let alone, the talk about a coming Messiah.

4.        This next section may have been hard for it to seem real.

a.        Who knows, maybe that is why the people kept looking for a Warrior King.

b.       They could not see the Sacrificial Lamb as God being at work.

5.        Zechariah 9:1-2

a.        The Word of the Lord.

b.       A prophecy from God.

c.        Is being shared against several nations.

d.       We have seen a couple of times in Zechariah, that judgement was coming against those in the north.

e.        If we think about it, the people of Israel are struggling to stay afloat.

f.          They were not ready to be God’s instrument of judgement.

6.        The nice thing about the Bible is that history proves it.

a.        You may have heard of Alexander the Great.

b.       He ruled from 336 to 323 BC.

c.        This first prophecy in chapter 9, was carried out by Alexander the Great.

d.       God used him to judge those who had persecuted His people.

e.        We also see Alexander referenced throughout Daniel, but that is a conversation for another day.

7.        Zechariah 9:3-4

a.        Tyre was a great city that withstood being sieged by Nebuchadnezzar for 13 years, not a small feat.

b.       But it fell to Alexander the Great in 5 short months.

8.        Zechariah 9:5-6

a.        Four Philistine cities fell to Alexander.

9.        Zechariah 9:7

a.        The people here are not God’s people.

b.       They were called pagans during those days, what we might call gentiles.

c.        These people would turn away from idolatry, false religions, and turn to God.

d.       Turn away from their evil ways and turn to the One True God.

10.   Zechariah 9:8

a.        God will protect His people.

b.       Alexander the Great was used by God to punish those around Jerusalem.

c.        But history shows us that his armies marched by Jerusalem not once, but twice and did not attack.

d.       God’s hand was upon them.

11.   These first 8 versus have been fulfilled.

a.        God used Alexander to bring judgement against those who persecuted His people.

b.       Prophesy that is now part of our history.

c.        God restored His people.

d.       Providing a gift of restoration.

e.        A hint of what is to come.  

12.   Zechariah 9:9

a.        A Davidic king.

b.       One who is righteous.

c.        A king who is victorious, who brings salvation.

d.       Humble and riding on a donkey.

e.        A warrior king would normally ride a stallion.

f.          They rode donkeys when they were coming in peace.

g.        We have a man who is righteous from the line of David.

h.        Who brings the most amazing gift of salvation.

i.          And humbly rides a donkey into Jerusalem.

13.   These are the events of Palm Sunday.

a.        Where Jesus enters Jerusalem riding a donkey.

b.       Humbly coming into town, knowing that He was going to pay our debt.

c.        A Son of David.

d.       The only truly righteous man to walk this earth.

e.        He will be victorious over death.

f.          Bringing salvation to all who believe in Him.

14.   Prophesy that has been fulfilled.

15.   Zechariah 9:10

a.        The chariots, the war horses, and the bows… the weapons of war will be removed.

b.       Peace will come to all nations.

c.        A dominion or kingdom that extends beyond the known earth at that time.

d.       This is prophesying about something that has yet to happen.

e.        A time of peace.

f.          And a king who will rule over all creation.

g.        This is pointing to the end of our Lord’s 1,000-year reign.

h.        When Satan and all those whose names are NOT written in the Lamb’s book of life will be cast into the lake of fire.

16.   Zechariah 9:11-12

a.        God made a promise to Abraham.

b.       In Genesis 15, we see that the promise was made with blood.

c.        Back in that day, when two people made a binding agreement.

d.       They would split an animal in half.

e.        And the stronger of the two would pass between the halves.

f.          Stating that they will honor the agreement or become like the split animals.

g.        Abraham split the animals.

h.        But it was God who passed between them.

i.          Through the blood scarified, God promised to work through Abraham’s descendants.

17.   God made a covenant to lift them out of captivity.

a.        Restore them.

b.       And be a blessing to them.

c.        Which he has done for His people.

d.       Which He has also done for those who trust in Jesus.

e.        But there is still more to come.

18.   Zechariah 9:13

a.        Judah and Ephram.

b.       Point to a fully restored Israelite kingdom.

c.        The 12 tribes being restored and used by God.

d.       Historically, this is believed to have been fulfilled during the rebellion of the Maccabees.

e.        Roughly 169-135 BC, when the Israelites stood up to the Greeks and established a Jewish kingdom.

f.          Yet, there is a hint of the coming restoration that is still before us.

19.   Zechariah 9:14-15

a.        God will move mightily.

b.       He will be like lightning.

c.        He will sound like thunder.

d.       Our God will be victorious.

e.        If this ties to the time of the Maccabees, it was fulfilled by God working through His people.

f.          If this is pointing to the future.

g.        Jesus defeats Satan’s army in an instant.

20.   Zechariah 9:16-17

a.        ‘On that day.’

b.       Which strengthens that these verses are pointing to the future.

c.        A time that has yet to happen.

d.       God will save His people.

e.        He will pour blessings on them.

f.          They will be a treasured possession.

21.   These verses do point to our future, but the focus is on the descendants of Abraham.

a.        The Jewish people who will come to trust in Jesus.

b.       For us, we get to see that our God is faithful.

c.        History proves that He fulfilled prophecies.

d.       He promised restoration and delivered.

e.        He has promised us forever with Him, if we believe.

f.          Our God fulfills His promises, so we can trust that He will be with us.

22.   Let’s keep reading.

23.   Zechariah 10:1-2

a.        Where does their help come from?

b.       Does it come from their household idols?

c.        Does it come from the diviners?

d.       Psalm 121:1-2

e.        Our help comes from our God.

f.          Not the fake gods.

g.        Not false teachers.

h.        Not political leaders.

i.          Bank accounts.

j.          Or any other idol we may have in our lives.

k.        It comes from our Jesus.

l.          We need to Seek Him,

m.     Seek His Will.

n.        And trust in His help.

24.   Zechariah 10:3

a.        God was not happy.

b.       Some of the leaders were leading people astray.

c.        Led them to trust in fake gods.

d.       To listen to false teachers.

25.   God restored His people.

a.        But things were not going well.

26.   Zechariah 10:4-5

a.        In Isaiah 28, the cornerstone points to Jesus.

b.       A tent peg was used to secure the tabernacle tent.

c.        Battle bow portrays an image of military strength.

d.       A message that was meant to remind people to trust in God.

e.        To follow Him and not the so-called leaders.

f.          These verses can be pointing to God raising up new leadership to lead His people.

g.        They also paint a picture of what is still to come.

h.        When Jesus returns as The Triumphant King.

27.   Zechariah 10:6-7

a.        The focus has been on Judah and Jerusalem.

b.       Ephraim is another way to describe the northern kingdom.

c.        The northern kingdom had been destroyed 200 years before this prophecy.

d.       120 or so years before the exile of Judah.

e.        God is promising to bring the nation of Israel back together.

28.   God is at work.

a.        The people will be restored.

b.       God will hear their prayers.

c.        And they will rejoice.

d.       They will celebrate all that God has done.

29.   They will go from following fake gods.

a.        To worshipping the One True God.

b.       They will change their ways.

30.   When we turn from the world and follow Jesus.

a.        We are saved by our faith.

b.       Faith in who Jesus is and what He has done.

c.        But it is to change who we are.

d.       It is to impact how we live our lives.

31.   Zechariah 10:8-10

a.        God will call His people to back to the promised land.

b.       Their number will be great.

32.   Zechariah 10:11-12

a.        Those who persecuted God’s people will be punished.

b.       And God’s people will march in His name…

33.   Now this is a big deal.

a.        They will march in God’s Name.

b.       In other words, they will once again be God’s people.

c.        They will follow His leading.

d.       As their relationship with God is restored, it will change their lives.

e.        Change how they live.

34.   When God brings restoration.

a.        We receive a promise of a better future.

b.       Something that should impact how we live our lives.

35.   With the Old Testament, the original Covenant.

a.        The people would repent.

b.       Be restored.

c.        Follow God for a time.

d.       Then revert back to the sinful ways.

e.        Judgement would come.

f.          The cycle would repeat.

36.   Today, we are under a New Covenant.

a.        One that Jesus has given to us.

b.       Through His death and resurrection.

c.        Jesus promises a beautiful forever.

d.       If we repent and follow Him.

e.        With His blood, we are clean.

f.          Restored.

g.        And Jesus holds our hope secure.

37.   Hebrews 9:11-12

a.        Once for all time.

b.       Eternal Redemption.

c.        Our Hope in Him is secure.

38.   Thankfully we are under the New Covenant.

a.        But it does need to change our lives.

b.       Let the Holy Spirit work in us.

c.        To do that, we need to spend time with our Lord.

d.       Seeking Him and His will.

e.        Reading His Words.

f.          Talking to Him.

g.        Letting Him change who we are.

39.   Thoughts for the road:

a.        If you have doubts about the Bible being real, history has proven it to be true over and over again. Ask God to show you the truth found in God’s Word.

b.       We tend to put our faith in what we can see, hear, and touch. It led the people of Israel down the wrong path. Ask the Author and Perfector or your faith, to grow it.

c.        The New Covenant through Jesus offers grace and eternal redemption. Who can you share Jesus with before they face judgment?

40.   If you are unsure of where to put your trust, there is only one place to turn.

a.        Jesus, the one who humbly rode the donkey into Jerusalem.

b.       Jesus who died on a cross for our sins.

c.        The One who was buried and rose again on the third day.

d.       The One who paid our debt and grants us everlasting life.

e.        He is the One we are to trust.

f.          He is the One who can restore us.

g.        Who can give us an amazing everlasting life.

h.        Are you ready to put your trust in Him?

i.          If so, I would love to pray with you.

j.          Please come forward during our next song.

41.   If you would like to join the RSBC family or are ready for water Baptism, I would love to talk with you.