Zechariah 14 is one of the hardest chapters in the Bible to interpret. Every good student of Scripture knows that there is one true interpretation for every passage. Hundreds of applications could come from a text, but only one accurate interpretation. The problem with this chapter is at least seven known interpretations are being taught in Christian circles, with dozens more variations of those known interpretations. It’s enough to make even the best of Bible teachers, like Martin Luther, throw their hands up in the air and say, “I don’t know.” Being 2500 years removed from this time period certainly makes things difficult, but chapter 14 is still “Godbreathed and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Corinthians 3:16). So let’s try our best.

During the Civil War, densely-packed battle lines made it likely that field generals might be killed in battle. During the Battle of Spotsylvania, Union General John Sedgwick stood away from the front and proudly proclaimed to his fellow officers “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” The next moment, he was shot and killed by a Confederate sharpshooter. Killing the leader always results in confusion for those who follow. In Zechariah 13:7-9, it is not the enemy who kills the leader, but God himself. But what could God seek to gain from putting His own leader to death? Our passage explains how our sovereign God uses even great tragedy to save His people.