Making Prophetic Sense of Zechariah 14

The complexities of the fourteenth chapter of Zechariah [are] “the expositor’s nightmare,” twenty-one verses that challenge all eschatologies. — Martin Selbrede

“In this chapter, I give up, for I am not sure what the prophet is talking about.” — Martin Luther

There was a first audience to receive what was revealed to Zechariah, and much interpretive difficulty arises from failing to understand Scripture as the original readers would have. Can you imagine someone saying, “This is not for us; we can rest easy. It’s really meant for a single generation thousands of years in the future”? The better approach is to investigate the prophecies in terms of their time and place in redemptive history. 

Zechariah 14 has been interpreted in various ways throughout history. The chapter describes a future “Day of the Lord.” How far in the future is that time, and what events does the final chapter of Zechariah describe?

Making Prophetic Sense of Zechariah 14 covers a lot of ground, including the history of interpretation going back centuries. As this volume points out, interpretations vary, and some are radically different, even when they agree on the time of fulfillment. There is no consensus, given the fact that it’s one of the most difficult prophetic sections found in Scripture, as many well-known and respected commentators have admitted.

The unique feature of this work is that it contains commentaries by two people, Robert Cruickshank, Jr., and Gary DeMar. While they may differ along the way, they both agree that the prophecy has been fulfilled. 

“I appreciate Gary DeMar’s work on Zechariah 14 because he brings deep historical knowledge, fairness to differing views, and honesty and courage to the discussion. Most of all, he approaches Scripture with humility. I’ve been friends with Gary for more than a decade, and that friendship has only deepened my respect for him. My hope is that this book sparks thoughtful, God-honoring conversations among serious students of biblical prophecy.” — Kirk Cameron

Gary DeMar is a graduate of Western Michigan University (1973) and Reformed Theological Seminary (1979). He is the President of American Vision, a biblical worldview ministry, and the author of nearly 40 books, many of them about Bible prophecy. His book Last Days Madness has been a perennial bestseller since its publication in 1999.

Robert Cruickshank, Jr. attended Valley Forge Christian College and Youngstown State University in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He has published hundreds of online articles over the years and is a regular speaker at various Bible conferences. Bob is known as the “Blue Collar Scholar” because he has done all this work while working for UPS.

Specs: Paperback or PDF Download; 216 pages