Zechariah 14:12-15
In the closing chapter of Zechariah, God vividly describes how He will destroy the armies gathered against Jerusalem at His coming. The intentionally jarring imagery is designed to stun the reader and strike terror into the hearts of those who oppose him.
Verses 12-15 could be called a prophetic taunt. It’s a dire warning for any military personnel called into this battle:
12 This will be the plague with which the Lord strikes all the people who have warred against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day a great panic from the Lord will be among them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of one will rise against the other. 14 Judah will also fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected: gold, silver, and clothing in great abundance. 15 The same plague as the previous one will strike the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the animals that are in those camps.”
Each verse reveals a unique aspect of God’s attack
First, in verse 12, God inflicts a plague on the soldiers. Specific body parts are named: flesh, eyes, and tongues. Each soldier will be incapacitated from fulfilling the mission since none will be able to use their body effectively. The plague on their eyes will stop them from observing their surroundings. The plague on their mouths will make communication impossible. In every fundamental way, God will essentially freeze these Satanic soldiers in their tracks.
Second, in verse 13, God follows the physical plague with a psychological one, overwhelming the fighting force with panic. Immobilized, blind, and unable to speak, these soldiers will experience such mental stress that they’ll end up fighting each other. We are reminded of Psalm 2:5, which likewise states, “Then He speaks to them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath.” God uses only His voice to drive terror into the hearts of those who oppose Him.
Third, after decimating the enemy forces, God brings the tribe of Judah into the battle in verse 14. This echoes the prophecy of Zechariah 12:6, “On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves; they will consume all the peoples around them on the right and the left, while Jerusalem continues to be inhabited on its site, in Jerusalem.” God’s intervention in verses 12-13 ensures that Judah fights from a position of divine advantage. While God claims all the glory, He allows Judah to share in the victory and its spoils.
Fourth and finally, in verse 15, God’s plague extends to all the logistical support units of the coalition of evil armies—horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and other animals. By neutralizing their transport and supply infrastructure, God leaves these armies completely combat-ineffective. Without logistical support, they have no means to regroup or attack.
During this period, true Christians must have strong biblical discernment. Service men and women from the nations all around the world will be sent into this battle. Any believer who receives this mission as a call of duty must make a decision: immediately tender your resignation or enter a losing battle in defiance of God.
How can a Christian prepare to endure such a difficult period? By focusing on the word of God daily as our guide. In John 17:15-17, Jesus said, “I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
Jesus wants His people to live as sanctified witnesses to God’s truth. The word of God, the Bible, is how we purify ourselves for God’s mission, setting us apart from the folly of the world.
Pastor David Robinson