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Commentary on Zechariah 14 verses 16–21
Three things are here foretold: -
I. That a gospel-way of worship being set up in the church there shall be a great resort to it and a general attendance upon it. Those that were left of the enemies of religion shall be so sensible of the mercy of God to them in their narrow escape that they shall apply themselves to the worship of the God of Israel, and pay their homage to him, Zac 14:16. Those that were not consumed shall be converted, and this makes their deliverance a mercy indeed, a double mercy. It is a great change that the grace of God makes upon them; those that had come against Jerusalem, finding their attempts vain and fruitless, shall become as much her admirers as ever they had been her adversaries, and shall come to Jerusalem to worship there, and go in concurrence with those whom they had gone contrary to. Note, As some of Christ's foes shall be made his footstool, so others of them shall be made his friends; and, when the principle of enmity is slain in them, their former acts of hostility are pardoned to them, and their services are admitted and accepted, as though they had never fought against Jerusalem. They shall go up to worship at Jerusalem, because that was the place which God had chosen, and there the temple was, which was a type of Christ and his mediation. Converting grace sets us right, 1. In the object of our worship. They shall no longer worship the Molochs and Baals, the kings and lords, that the Gentiles worship, the creatures of their own imagination, but the King, the Lord of hosts, the everlasting King, the King of kings, the sovereign Lord of all. 2. In the ordinances of worship, those which God himself has appointed. Gospel-worship is here represented by the keeping of the feast of tabernacles, for the sake of those two great graces which were in a special manner acted and signified in that feast - contempt of the world, and joy in God, Neh 8:17. The life of a good Christian is a constant feast of tabernacles, and, in all acts of devotion, we must retire from the world and rejoice in the Lord, must worship as in that feast. 3. In the Mediator of our worship; we must go to Christ our temple with all our offerings, for in him only our spiritual sacrifices are acceptable to God, Pe1 2:5. If we rest in ourselves, we come short of pleasing God; we must go up to him, and mention his righteousness only. 4. In the time of it; we must be constant. They shall go up from year to year, at the times appointed for this solemn feast. Every day of a Christian's life is a day of the feast of tabernacles, and every Lord's day especially (that is the great day of the feast); and therefore every day we must worship the Lord of hosts and every Lord's day with a peculiar solemnity.
II. That those who neglect the duties of gospel-worship shall be reckoned with for their neglect. God will compel them to come and worship before him, by suspending his favours from those that keep not his ordinances: Upon them there shall be no rain, Zac 14:17. Some understand it figuratively; the rain of heavenly doctrine shall be withheld, and of the heavenly grace, which should accompany that doctrine. God will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon them. Note, It is a righteous thing with God to withhold the blessings of grace from those that do not attend the means of grace, to deny the green pastures to those that attend not the shepherd's tents. Or we may take it literally: On them there shall be no rain, to make their ground fruitful. Note, The gifts of common providence are justly denied to those that neglect and despise instituted ordinances. Those that neglected to build the temple were punished with the want of rain (Hag 2:17), and so were those that neglected to attend there when it was built. If we be barren and unfruitful towards God, justly is the earth made so to us. Many are crossed, and go backward, in their affairs, and this is at the bottom of it - they do not keep close to the worship of God as they should; they go off from God, and then he walks contrary to them. If we omit or postpone the duties he expects from us, it is just with him to deny the favours we expect from him. But what shall be done to the defaulters of the land of Egypt, to whom the threatening of the want of rain is no threatening, for they have no rain at any time; they need none; they desire none; the river Nilus is to them instead of the clouds of heaven, waters their land, and makes it fruitful, so that what is a punishment to others is none to them? Zac 14:18, Zac 14:19. It is threatened that if the family of Egypt go not up, that have no rain, yet God will find out a way to meet with them, for there shall be, in effect, the same plague wherewith other nations are smitten for their neglect. God can, and often did, restrain the overflowing of the river, which was equivalent to the shutting up of the clouds; or if the river did its part, and rose as high as it used to do, God had other ways of bringing famine upon them, and destroying the fruits of their ground, as he did by several of the ten plagues of Egypt, so that this (that is, the same) shall be the punishment of Egypt that is the punishment of other nations who come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. Note, Those who think themselves least indebted to, and depending on, the mercy of heaven, cannot therefore think themselves guarded against the justice of Heaven. It does not follow that those who can live without rain can therefore live without God; for not the heavens only, but all other creatures, are that to us that God makes them to be, and no more; nor can any man's way of living enable him to set light by the judgments of God. This shall be the punishment - margin, This shall be the sin of Egypt, and the sin of all nations, that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. The same word signifies both sin and the punishment of sin, so close and inseparable is the connexion between them (as Gen 4:7), and sin is often its own punishment. Note, Omissions are sins, and we must come into judgment for them; those contract guilt that go not up to worship at the times appointed, as they have opportunity; and it is a sin that is its own punishment, for those who forsake the duty forfeit the privilege of communion with God.
III. That those who perform the duties of gospel-worship shall have grace to adorn their profession by the duties of a gospel-conversation too. This is promised (Zac 14:20, Zac 14:21), and it is necessary to the completing of the beauty and happiness of the church. In general, all shall be holiness to the Lord.
1.The name and character of holiness shall not be so confined as formerly. Holiness to the Lord had been written only upon the high priest's forehead, but now it shall not be so appropriated. All Christians shall be living temples, and spiritual priests, dedicated to the honour of God and employed in his service.
2.Real holiness shall be more diffused than it had been, because there shall be more powerful means of sanctification, more excellent rules, more cogent arguments, and brighter patterns of holiness, and because there shall be a more plentiful effusion of the Spirit of holiness and sanctification, after Christ's ascension than ever before.
(1.)There shall be holiness introduced into common things; and those things shall be devoted to God that seemed very foreign. [1.] The furniture of their horses shall be consecrated to God. "Upon the bells of the horses shall be engraven Holiness to the Lord, or upon the bridles of the horses (so the margin) or the trappings. The horses used in war shall no longer be used against God and his people, as they have been, but for him and them. Even their wars shall be holy wars, their troopers serving under God's banner. Their great men, who ride in state with a pompous retinue, shall reckon it their greatest ornament to honour God with their honours. Holiness to the Lord shall be written on the harness of their chariot-horses, as great men have sometimes their coat of arms with their motto painted on their coaches; every gentleman shall take the high priest's motto for his, and glory in it, and make it a memento to himself not to do any thing unworthy of it. Travellers shall have it upon their bridles, with which they guide their horses, as those who desire always to be put in mind of it, by having it continually before them, and to guide themselves in all their motions by this rule. The bells of the horses, which are designed to quicken them in their journey and to give notice of their approach, shall have Holiness to the Lord upon them," to signify that this is that which we ought to be influenced by ourselves, and make profession of to others, wherever we go. [2.] The furniture of their houses too shall be consecrated to God, to be employed in his service. First, The furniture of the priests' houses, or apartments adjoining to the house of the Lord. The common drinking cups they used shall be like the bowls before the altar, that were used either to receive the blood of the sacrifices or to present the wine and oil in, which were for the drink-offerings. The vessels which they used for their own tables shall be used in such a religious manner, with such sobriety and temperance, such devotedness to the glory of God, and such a mixture of pious thoughts and expressions, that their meals shall look like sacrifices; they shall eat and drink, not to themselves, but to him that spreads their tables and fills their cups. And thus, in ministers' families especially, should common actions be done after a godly sort, however they are done in other families. Secondly, The furniture of other houses, those of the common people: "Every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness to the Lord. The pots in which they boil their meat, the cups out of which they drink their wine (Jer 35:5), in these God's good creatures shall never be abused to excess, nor that made the food and fuel of lust which should be oil to the wheels of obedience," as had formerly been, when all tables were full of vomit and filthiness, Isa 28:8. "What they eat and drink out of these shall nourish their bodies for the service of God; and out of these they shall give liberally for the relief of the poor;" then are they Holiness to the Lord, as the merchandise and the hire of the converted Tyrians are said to be (Isa 23:18); for both in our gettings and in our spendings we must have an eye to the will of God as our rule and the glory of God as our end. Thirdly, When there shall be such an abundance of real holiness people shall not be nice and curious about ceremonial holiness: "Those that sacrifice shall come and take of these common vessels, and seethe their sacrifices therein, making no distinction between them and the bowls before the altar." In gospel-times the true worshippers shall worship God in spirit and in truth, and neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem, Joh 4:21. One place shall be as acceptable to God as another (I will that men pray every where); and one vessel shall be as acceptable as another. Little regard shall be had to the circumstance, provided there be nothing indecent or disorderly, while the substance is religiously preserved and adhered to. Some think it intimates that there should be greater numbers of sacrifices offered than the vessels of the sanctuary would serve for; but, rather than any should be turned back or deferred. they shall make no difficulty at all of using common vessels, as the Levites in a case of necessity helped the priests to kill the sacrifices, Ch2 29:34.
(2.)There shall be no unholiness introduced into their sacred things, to corrupt them: In that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts. Some read it, There shall be no more the merchant, for so a Canaanite sometimes signifies; and they think it was fulfilled when Christ once and again drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple. Or though those that were Canaanites, strangers and foreigners, shall be brought into the house of the Lord, yet they shall cease to be Canaanites; they shall have nothing of the spirit or disposition of Canaanites in them. Or it intimates that though in gospel-times people should grow indifferent as to holy vessels, yet they should be very strict in church-discipline, and careful not to admit the profane to special ordinances, but to separate between the precious and the vile, between Israelites and Canaanites. Yet this will not have its full accomplishment short of the heavenly Jerusalem, that house of the Lord of hosts, into which no unclean thing shall enter; for at the end of time, and not before, Christ shall gather out of his kingdom every thing that offends, and the tares and wheat shall be perfectly and eternally separated.
On that day there shall be inscribed on the bit of the horse, “Holy to the Lord.” Not war or wrath but holiness and peace. Isaiah certainly prophesied this when he said, “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” Both prophets expected the advent of Christ. In a mystical sense, by the horse the prophet signifies any servant of Christ and understands the bit as the divine law, by which the hearts of the faithful are directed, so that they may not rush down into vice. The bit holds the horse in check and obliges it to obey the horseman, that is, mystically, the Lord.
(Verse 20) On that day, what is on the bridle of the horse will be holy to the Lord, and the pots in the house of the Lord will be like the bowls before the altar. And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be consecrated to the Lord of hosts. (Verse 21) On that day, what is on the bridle of the horse will be holy to the Lord God Almighty. And the pots in the house of the Lord will be like the bowls before the altar. And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord God Almighty. The Hebrew word Mesuloth was translated by Aquila and Theodotion as 'profundum', that is, 'depth'. Symmachus translated it as 'incessum umbrosum', that is, 'shady walk'. The Septuagint alone translated it as 'frenum', that is, 'bridle'; and we have followed them in this place so as not to appear to introduce anything new in a well-known question. When I asked the Hebrew what it meant, he told me that we should not read Mesuloth, but Mesaloth, which means the trappings of horses and military ornamentation, and he said that apart from this place, the word is not found at all in any volume of the holy Scriptures. But the Hebrew word for bridle is Resen, not Mesuloth, as translated by the Septuagint. And its meaning is: During the perpetual solemnity and reign of Jerusalem, when everything is peaceful and tranquil, there is no need for cavalry, which is the strongest type of warriors; but all the adornment and splendor of trappings should be dedicated to the worship of the Lord. This is what they said. As for us, let us interpret the deep and rhythmic movement of horses, σύσκιον, as representing the mystical knowledge, which even David boasted of having, saying: You have revealed to me the uncertain and hidden aspects of your wisdom (Ps. 50, 8). And the Apostle says: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out (Rom. XI, 33) ! In this deep, the prophet cried out to the Lord, and he heard him. In these depths and darkness, God placed his hiding place (Ps. XVII): Moses entered into these darknesses and divine mysteries on Mount Sinai, in order to see God (Exod. XIX): of which David also spoke in another Psalm: The judgments of the Lord are a great abyss (Ps. XXXV, 9). These secrets and sacred mysteries are known to the Lord, which the evangelist John knew and dared to say, even though the angels may not have known: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). And for this reason, it is loved by the Lord, because it had the greatest depth; and it rested on the chest of Jesus, from where it drew wisdom (John 21). But if we wish to accept the translation of the Septuagint, let us understand the bridle as the word of God, which restrains the wild horses of desire and the barren and lustful mules from vices, and restrains and does not allow them to go through dangerous paths, of which it is said: Do not be like horses and mules, who have no understanding. In freno et chamo maxillas eorum constringe, qui non approximant ad te (Ps. XXXI, 9, 10) . De hoc freno et Jacobus loquitur: In equorum ora mittimus frenos, et omne corpus eorum circumagimus (Jacob. III, 3) , ut scilicet recto gradiantur itinere, et mollia ad sedendum Domino possint terga praebere. Tale frenum et talis sermo auri et argenti varietate compositus, feros equos Salvatori praeparat ad sedendum; et sanctos facit, ac proprie illius cultui consecratos. I heard a thing, spoken in a pious sense, but ridiculous. The nails of the Lord's cross, from which Emperor Constantine made his horse's reins, were called holy of the Lord. Whether this should be understood in this way, I leave to the reader's discretion. Let us now turn to the basins that will be in the Lord's house, like the bowls of the altar. For every basin will be sanctified to the Almighty Lord in Jerusalem and in Judah. Let the bronze basins love the Egyptian pots, and meats, and melons, and garlic, and onions, and cucumbers (Numbers 11). Let us turn the Jewish cooking pots in which the meats of the victims were cooked into jars of spices before the altar of the Lord, about which the bride says to the bridegroom: My brother has gone down to my garden to the jars of spices, to feast in the gardens, and gather lilies (Song of Songs 6:1). The garden and the paradise to which the bridegroom descends to the bride is the holy reading of the Scriptures: from which he gathers lilies, and violets and roses and various fragrant spices, to fill the jars of the souls of the believers, and offer them as offerings to the Lord. When these wordplays have been turned into the vials of the Lord, and they have been able to say: 'We are the good odor of Christ' (2 Cor. 15), and because of the strength of their flesh, they have begun to bear various flowers of virtues, then they will be sanctified to Almighty God in Jerusalem and in Judea, about whom we have frequently said that Jerusalem represents the vision of peace, and Judea expresses the one who confesses.
That which is upon the bridle: The golden ornaments of the bridles, etc., shall be turned into offerings in the house of God. And there shall be an abundance of caldrons and phials for the sacrifices of the temple; by which is meant, under a figure, the great resort there shall be to the temple, that is, to the church of Christ, and her sacrifice.
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SUMMARY
A profound prophetic vision of the eschatological "Day of the Lord," depicting a future era where holiness will pervade every aspect of existence, extending beyond the temple and sacred rituals to encompass even the most mundane objects and activities. It portrays a radical transformation where the distinction between the sacred and the common largely vanishes, as all things are consecrated and dedicated to the Lord, reflecting His universal reign and the complete sanctification of creation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Zechariah 14:20 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its transformative message. Symbolism is central, with "bells of the horses" and "pots" symbolizing the ordinary, secular, and even potentially profane aspects of human existence, while "HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD" and "bowls before the altar" represent the sacred, consecrated, and ritually pure. The verse utilizes hyperbole by extending the High Priest's sacred inscription to horse bells, an extreme and exaggerated image designed to emphasize the absolute and pervasive nature of future holiness. This is further reinforced by juxtaposition and contrast, placing the common (horse bells, pots) directly alongside the sacred (High Priest's turban, altar bowls) to highlight the radical spiritual transformation. The comparison of "pots" becoming "like bowls" also functions as a metaphor, illustrating the sanctification and elevation of the mundane to a state of divine dedication. These devices together paint a vivid picture of a future where God's holiness permeates all of creation, leaving no area untouched by His sanctifying presence.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Zechariah 14:20 presents a breathtaking vision of God's ultimate redemptive purpose: the complete sanctification of all creation. This prophecy culminates the Old Testament's trajectory of a holy God desiring a holy people in a holy land, expanding it to a cosmic scale. It speaks to the final triumph of God's kingdom, where His glory will not merely reside in a temple but will permeate every facet of existence, removing the artificial barriers between the sacred and the secular. This pervasive holiness signifies a restoration of creation to its intended state of purity and dedication to its Creator, a time when all things will truly serve the Lord without blemish. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty and His desire for a world fully consecrated to Him, where even the most common elements reflect His divine presence and purpose.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While Zechariah 14:20 describes an eschatological reality, its profound implications resonate deeply for believers today. This vision challenges our often-compartmentalized view of life, where "spiritual" activities are confined to church or prayer, and "sacred" activities dominate the rest of our week. If God's ultimate plan is for all things to be consecrated to Him, then we are called to live in a way that anticipates and reflects this future reality now. This means striving for holiness not just in our explicitly religious practices, but in every corner of our existence: our work, our finances, our relationships, our entertainment, and even our most mundane daily routines. The verse reminds us that true worship is not limited to a sacred space but extends into every sphere of life, transforming our ordinary actions into acts of devotion and consecration to the Lord. By seeking to live out "HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD" in all we do, we participate in the unfolding of God's kingdom and bear witness to His transforming power in a world still awaiting its full sanctification.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this prophecy literal or symbolic?
Answer: Zechariah 14:20 employs highly symbolic language and imagery to convey a profound spiritual truth. While it's unlikely that physical horse bells will literally bear an inscription or that common cooking pots will physically transform into sacred altar bowls, the underlying truth is profoundly literal in its spiritual fulfillment. The prophecy points to a future reality where God's presence and holiness will so fully permeate the earth and all of human activity that the distinction between sacred and common, clean and unclean, will largely dissolve. It signifies a complete and pervasive sanctification of all creation, where everything is dedicated to and reflects the glory of the Lord.
How does this relate to the New Testament concept of holiness?
Answer: Zechariah 14:20 beautifully foreshadows the New Testament understanding of holiness. In the New Covenant, holiness is primarily understood as the very character of God, which believers are called to embody through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Passages like 1 Peter 1:15-16 command believers to "be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'" Furthermore, the New Testament teaches that believers themselves are "temples of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), implying that their entire lives—their bodies, minds, and actions—are to be consecrated to God. Zechariah's vision anticipates the full realization of this personal and corporate holiness in a transformed world, where the inner transformation of believers leads to an outward sanctification of all things, culminating in the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Zechariah 14:20 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ and His redemptive work. Christ is the embodiment of perfect holiness, the very "Holy One of God" (Mark 1:24). As our great High Priest, He not only perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the Law but also offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, purifying us from sin and making us holy before God (Hebrews 9:11-14). Through His death and resurrection, Christ initiated the new creation, bringing reconciliation not only to humanity but to all things in heaven and on earth (Colossians 1:19-20). The Spirit He poured out at Pentecost indwells believers, making their bodies temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), enabling them to live lives of increasing holiness, transforming even their mundane activities into acts of worship. This present reality is a foretaste of the future Zechariah prophesied, where Christ's cosmic reign will fully sanctify all creation, removing all defilement and bringing about a new heavens and new earth where the presence of God makes all things holy, and there is no longer need for a temple because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple (Revelation 21:1-4 and Revelation 21:22).