Zechariah 14:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The physical often reflects deep spiritual truths, as the visible resembles the invisible’s body. He proclaimed that in His time, when our existence will transform and creation itself will be renewed, the Lord will be the one God, known throughout all the earth. There has always been, is now, and will always be One Lord, the true and living God, who called forth that which did not previously exist (cf. Rom. 4:17). However, when Satan, the originator of sin, beguiled the heavenly realms, we poor souls were misled into falsehoods and impure service, wandering the world blind and mad, mistakenly attributing divinity to false lords and unclean spirits. But when this age concludes and we are liberated from all mental afflictions, and the adversaries are subdued under Christ’s authority (1 Cor. 15:25-27), then the Lord shall reign alone across the globe, with no one able to usurp His rule. In another sense, Christ shall be the singular Lord, for every earthly dominion will be brought to ruin, and the entirety of creation will yield its sovereignty to Him alone. The wise Daniel echoed this truth, explaining in his vision that a stone, cut from a mountain without human hands, brought down clay, iron, bronze, silver, and gold, demonstrating that the great God shall reveal these truths to the king, affirming that the dream is genuine and its interpretation is certain (Dan. 2:45). Thus, He alone will dwell in glory within the holy city, the spiritual Jerusalem, whose dimensions are similarly illustrated in earthly Jerusalem. Remmon refers to a rock in the southern wilderness. Therefore, the breadth of Jerusalem extends from Gaba to Remmon. He also specifies its length: from the gates of Benjamin to the first gates, onward to the coal gate, and to the pillar of Anameel, depicting the dimensions of Jerusalem through a figure. The blessed prophet Ezekiel received a command from God to measure the expansive house (Ezekiel 40ff.), symbolizing the numerous residences of the saints (Ezekiel 14:2). Thus, it appears the house measured signifies the parameters of the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church of Christ, to which the divine Isaiah proclaimed: “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwelling; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes” (Isaiah 54:2-3). Consequently, the holy city shall grow in both breadth and length, inhabited by the saints, where it will not be estranged from God, for steadfast love will be bestowed upon it, and it shall no longer stray into sin when, as mentioned, sin and the tempter shall be completely vanquished. No lion will inhabit it, nor any evil beast will approach or be found there (1 Pet. 5:8 cf. Gen. 3), for they will dwell with hope. The addition of the phrase “But Ramah shall remain in its place” invites further exploration of its meaning. Ramah, a village in the tribe of Asher, or potentially another Ramah in the tribe of Naphtali, is referenced by the Holy Prophet. It is recorded: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they were no more” (Jer. 31:15). This prophecy connects to the sorrow in Bethlehem when Herod ordered the slaying of infants (Matt. 2:16-18). Thus, the name Ramah also reflects Jerusalem, given the mourning experienced during its conquest. The prophet Jeremiah describes the city’s sorrow: “She weeps bitterly in the night, her tears are on her cheeks” (Lamentations 1:2). This cry of lamentation stems from the devastation: “The young and old alike are in captivity; you have slain them with the sword, in the day of your wrath you have poured out your anger” (Lamentations 2:21). To interpret this name as a reference to the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church, feels appropriate as many within the faith weep for sin, experiencing “godly sorrow that leads to repentance” (2 Cor. 7:10). Christ Himself acknowledges such sorrow, stating, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4), and again: “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh” (Luke 6:21). Therefore, if the Church is referred to as Ramah through the prophet’s voice, such an interpretation remains valid. Furthermore, the assertion that “it shall stand in its place” signifies its unshakeable foundation, as the Church of Christ is firmly established and enduring.

Rama will remain, stretching from the gate of Benjamin to the first gate, corner gate, and the tower of Anamael, until the place of the king's furnace, where they will dwell, free from the curse, and Jerusalem will dwell in assurance. The Jews and Jewish Christians envision the restoration of Jerusalem and the emergence of waters flowing from it to the two seas occurring in the last days, when circumcision and sacrifices will return, and all the commandments of the law fulfilled, leading to a situation where Christians identify as Jews. They believe that when Christ reigns in Jerusalem, adorned with precious gems, there will be no idols or diverse forms of worship; instead, God will be one, and the entire earth will return to its earlier desolate state. Names will be given to the places where Jerusalem will be reconstructed, from the hill of Remmon—identified with the pomegranate tree—to the southern side of the city. The phrase "And Rama shall remain" is more accurately interpreted by Aquila and others with the term "shall be exalted," echoing the prophetic declaration regarding Rama, where the voice was heard on high (Matthew 2:18). Therefore, Jerusalem will be elevated and rebuilt on its original site from the gate of Benjamin to the corner gate and continuing from the tower of Ananiel to the king's furnace, expressed in Hebrew as ammelech. Residents will dwell in Jerusalem without fear of enemies, experiencing eternal peace. While Jews expect this to unfold literally, like certain chiliasts, who hope for total earthly prosperity, we interpret such prophecies spiritually in relation to the heavenly Jerusalem—the Church that, while existing in the flesh, is not of the flesh and whose true home is in heaven. For after the Lord reigns over all the earth, as conveyed by the Holy Spirit through the prophet, O God, grant Your judgments to the King and Your righteousness to the King’s Son (Psalm 71:1). The Lord will be one, as it is written, Know that the Lord He is God (Deut. 4:35), and His name will be unique after the overthrow of all false beliefs, as reflected in the psalmist's declarations, O Lord our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth (Ps. 8:2), and You have magnified Your holy name above all (Psalms 137:2). In another place it is said, As is Your name, O God, so is Your glory throughout the earth (Psalms 47:11), a truth reiterated by the prophet Habakkuk, The earth is filled with His glory (Habakkuk 3:3). The Lord Himself declares, Without Me you shall not know God, nor without My name which is exalted above all (Isaiah 44:8). The land where the Jews lived will revert to a state resembling a wilderness, representing those among the Gentiles who had previously been ignorant of the law—from the hill to the heights, indicating a rise from the earth. Thus the bridegroom in the Song of Songs leaps from smaller hills to high mountains (Song of Songs 2:8), as stated, The mountains are high for the deer (Psalms 103:18). Should we not view Remmon as just the pomegranate tree, we must acknowledge that the boundaries of the Church begin from the hills, establishing hierarchically organized ecclesiastical orders. However, the Church extends further into the light and reaches toward the South, as mentioned earlier. The Church, starting from the heights, will be exalted further and dwell in its rightful place, as is written, He leads me beside still waters (Psalm 22:2). From the gate of Benjamin—meaning Son of the Right Hand rather than son of days, as some mistakenly think, for the meaning varies based on its ending—extending to the gates of the east and the first gate, which leads to the corner gate. We commence with righteousness, symbolized by the right hand, reaching the first gate to enter into rest, and we encounter the corner gate, the location of the Cornerstone rejected by builders, becoming the chief cornerstone (Psalm 117:22). This Cornerstone unites both sides of the wall and brings together the two nations (Ephesians 2:14), as God stated through Isaiah, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious; whoever believes on Him will not be ashamed (Isaiah 28:16). This cornerstone anticipates the establishment of further cornerstones, allowing the Apostle Paul to say, Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). In contrast, heretics deviate from these solid foundations, seeking glory and gain, praying at street corners instead of following the straight path. Every corner reflects a deviation from a straight line; this is why the seductress in Proverbs—whatever interpretation one may derive—roams near marketplaces, orchestrating schemes at the corners, luring young unwise men instead of inviting the prudent older man (Proverbs 4:8). Thus, we should forsake the treacherous corners and turn instead to the sturdy cornerstones of Christ; approaching them, we will then find the tower of Ananiel, meaning beloved of God. What could be more pleasing than the tower of Solomon, of which it is said to the bride, Your neck resembles the tower of David, built for defense, adorned with a thousand shields, all the shields of valiant men (Song of Songs 4:4). The Lord desires, as presented in the Gospel, that this tower be constructed (Luke 14:25-30), having calculated all necessary costs; it is said of Jerusalem, May peace be within your walls and abundance within your towers (Psalm 121:7). The saint likewise expresses, You brought me out of the rock, for You have become my hope, a tower of strength against the foe (Psalm 60:4). From the tower of Ananiel, we progress to the king's furnace, which inspired the naming of three psalms. The Lord declares through Isaiah, I alone have tread the winepress (Isaiah 63:3), so that our grapes may flourish, leading us to partake of the new wine that gladdens the heart (Psalms 103:15). The bride conveys her longing to her beloved companions with the words, Bring me into the winepress, envelop me in love (Song of Songs 2:4). If we indulge in such delights, we shall reap in Jerusalem, where the curse of slander and blasphemy will no longer exist. Thus, the Apostle warns, If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed (anathema) (1 Corinthians 16:22), and in another passage, No man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed. In his longing for his brethren's salvation, the Apostle even expressed the wish to be accursed, emulating his Lord, who, though He Himself was not under the curse, became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). With all curses removed, Jerusalem will dwell in safety, embodying the sentiments of those who trust in the Lord, better to take refuge in Him than in men (Psalm 117:8), a sentiment echoed by the prophet Jeremiah, Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord (Jeremiah 17:7).

Within the precincts of Jerusalem, locations such as the Coal Gate in the northwest corner, the Anameel Tower in the southeast, and the king's winepress—an area in the southern part of Jerusalem associated with the royal gardens and wine production—are mentioned. The intent is for the new Jerusalem to be reconstructed in the same manner as the former one. In a spiritual sense, the defined borders of Judea and Jerusalem symbolize the future joyous state of the Church of Christ, which will be safeguarded within boundaries that its enemies will not dare to approach. It will be protected by strong fortifications, living under the divine care of God, ensuring its resilience against adversarial forces.