Zechariah 14:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This could refer to either the remnant of His people within the salvaged part of the city or possibly to those who have placed their faith in Christ, the Redeemer of all, of whom it is said that “they will not be consumed from the city.” These faithful individuals remain citizens of the Church, and although they may have witnessed the fall of the earthly and ruined Jerusalem, they possess the heavenly Jerusalem, concerning which the apostle Paul writes: “But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother” (Galatians 4:26). A similar notion is suggested by the blessed David, who proclaims, “those who dwell in Jerusalem shall not be shaken forever” (Psalm 124:1). The Church stands firm, as affirmed by the Savior: “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Thus, it is essential for those who reside in it, deemed the people of God and recognized as His rightful children, to exhibit the same steadfastness.

Yet, in this instance, the calamity will be so profound that distribution of the spoils will occur amid the destruction, indicating the complete safety of the victors.

Not only will Jerusalem fall after all nations have been mobilized against it, but the homes of its residents will lie in ruin, and women will suffer great indignities, to the profound sorrow of their lords and husbands, who could not stop the sacking of their homes or the dishonor inflicted upon their wives. As recorded, "They that are gathered together among you shall fall by the sword, and shall tear your children before your eyes, and plunder your houses, and take your wives" (Isaiah 13:15-16). Nothing could be more dreadful than the helplessness felt in the face of such terror, as fears for their own lives prevent them from defending their children and wives.

The prophet Amos delivers a similar warning to the ungodly priest Amaziah, declaring, "Your wife shall fornicate in the city, your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be measured with a surveyor's rope" (Am. 7:17). All these tragedies will befall the city of Judah due to the revolt of the tribes and the futile plots of the nations; rulers have conspired against the Lord and His Anointed One (Ps. 2:1-2). Yet, the Lord scorns and rebukes them, and in His wrath, He confounds them to such an extent that even the Apostle, witnessing the time for repentance having passed, states that "the wrath is coming upon them or upon us to the end" (1 Thess. 2:16).

Josephus, in his account of Jewish history, provides a thorough description of the suffering endured by the Jews, even beyond what is described by the prophets. Likewise, Cornelius Tacitus, in his work that chronicles the reign of the Caesars, details events following the death of Augustus up to that of Domitian. The manner in which the central part of the city was captured, while the remaining populace was secure in their stronghold, reflects historical accounts where the northern and lower sections fell, yet the temple mount and Zion remained unscathed. Some Jews believe these prophecies will find their fulfillment under Gog, while others claim partial fulfillment occurred during the rule of the Macedonians and Egyptians. However, we will leave the exact timing to the Lord's determination and explain what is written.