Zechariah 14:1-11
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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS
A Vivid Description of the Return of the Lord to This Earth
BACKGROUND NOTES
DOCTRINAL POINT(S)
- In that day the Lord will return to the Mount of Olives. 
- In that day there will be topographical changes and cosmic disturbances. 
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
- The Lord can bring about great changes for you in a short time. 
QUESTIONS
- Name three things that will happen when the Lord Jesus returns to earth. 
- What kind of background is necessary for understanding the book of Zechariah? 
- Can you give three reasons why is the book of Zechariah difficult to understand? 
- What is the age called that we are in now? 
- Briefly outline future events. 
- Is it okay to spiritualize Old Testament Israel and interpret it as the New Testament Church? 
ANSWERS
- He will deliver His people; He will judge the nations; and He will bring peace to this earth. 
- It is important to know some Old Testament history. 
- a. Because of a lack of knowledge of Old Testament history. - b. Because Zechariah contains of lot of apocalyptic literature. - c. Because it contains many prophecies that are not yet fulfilled. 
- The Church age. 
- a. The Rapture: the Church age will end with the Rapture, when the Lord returns for His bride, the Church. - b. The Great Tribulation: then comes the seven-year Tribulation Period. The second half of this seven-year period is called the Great Tribulation. Near the end of the Great Tribulation will come the well-known battle of Armageddon. - c. The Return of the Lord: the Great Tribulation will end with the return of the Lord to this earth. When the Lord returns, He will deliver His people; He will judge the nations; and He will set up His worldwide kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital. This time is known as the Millennium, because the kingdom of Christ will last for 1000 years. - d. The New Heavens and the New Earth and the Eternal State: these follow the Millennium. 
- No. Israel is Israel throughout the Bible. Old Testament prophecies certainly use figurative language, but we are not given the liberty to spiritualize or allegorize Israel away to the Church. 
DISCUSS/CONSIDER
- In Zechariah 14:3-4, all nations will be gathered against Jerusalem, and when it seems that all hope is lost, the Lord will return. Discuss how the anticipation of this thrills your soul! 
CHALLENGE
- The Lord can bring about great changes in a short time. Maybe you’re in circumstances where it looks like there is no way out. The Lord can bring about great changes for you in a short time. Put your trust in Him and commit the situation to Him. Read Zechariah 14 again and be encouraged. 
KEY VERSES
- “In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two.” Zechariah 14:4 
- “Thus the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with You.” Zechariah 14:5 
- “In that day, living waters shall flow from Jerusalem…and the Lord shall be King over all the earth.” Zechariah 14:8-9