Chapter fourteen closes Zechariah’s prophecy with detail about the “day of the LORD,” specifically the part of that period when Messiah comes back. At one point the nations will surround Jerusalem to devastate it (Zechariah 14:1-2). Just before the worst, Messiah will appear and do “battle and fight against those nations” (Zechariah 14:3). The line that he will fight “just as he fought battles in ancient days” must have brought a sense of awe to Zechariah’s original audience, which was much closer to that time when Jehovah was actively and visibly fighting for them. One of those judgments will be a plague that rots the flesh of his enemies and causes confusion both in people and animals (Zechariah 14:12-15; 12:4).
When Messiah returns, he will once again stand on Mount of Olives, physically splitting it in two (Zechariah 14:4-8). The residents of Jerusalem will use this gulf to escape just before Messiah rushes into Jerusalem “with all his holy ones with him” (a reference to the holy angels and probably the Church). Due to the celestial changes during the Tribulation, the light sources will be affected, yet there will still be light in the evening. One of the topographical changes at this point will be a river that will flow out of Jerusalem to both the Mediterranean and Dead Seas (cf. Ezekiel 47).
Jehovah will finally be the sole king of the earth at this point, and his people will live in perfect peace and security (Zechariah 14:9-11). Zechariah mentioned other physical and topographical changes at this point as well. As the king, Messiah will require all people to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, even the Gentiles (Zechariah 14:16-21). Using Egypt as an example, God promised that any nation that did not celebrate the feasts would be punished with drought. In the kingdom all nations will worship Jehovah exclusively, and even the lowliest cooking pot will be sacred.
