In chapter 14 of his book if prophecies, Zechariah gives a vivid and harrowing description of the plunder of Jerusalem, the tribulation of the end-times, and the eventual triumph of the God of Israel. In doing so, the prophet uses many descriptions and turns of phrase that modern Christians find bizarre. Did the Mount of Olives really split in two? Are these verses to be understood symbolically, or do they refer to historical events?
Key verses explained
This article explains some of the key verses in terms of prophetic events that have already been fulfilled.
14:2 ‘I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped.
This is easily interpreted as referring to the Roman armies besieging Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The Roman army contained legionaries and auxiliary units from across the known world.
14:4 ‘On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south’
This verse is widely understood to refer to the ‘cloud of glory’, the divine presence that physically dwelled in the Temple on the Mount of Olives. First century Rabbi Jonathan reports seeing the cloud of glory depart the Temple in A.D. 66, where it lingered for three years before finally departing in the wake of the Roman army in A.D. 70. Following the Roman conquest, the Mount of Olives was indeed split in two by a Roman road that neatly bisected the mountain, thus fulfilling the prophecy in every detail.
Many more unbelievable truths can be gleaned from this chapter when read in light of events that took place during the Jewish war in the first century A.D.
Conclusion
As this brief synopsis has shown, the events of Zechariah chapter 14 can be understood in terms of real-world historical events that have already taken place – fully in keeping with the Biblical prophecies. The fact that Zechariah pronounced his prophecies many centuries before the events described is powerful testimony to the reliability of the Bible as a divinely inspired revelation, as well as an accurate historical resource.
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