Chapter 1 (Continued)

The Coming Judgment (Continued)

2. THE JUDGMENT UPON SYRIA (Amos 1:3-5 [3] Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: [4] But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. [5] I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
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1. The Call for Judgment (Amos 1:3Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:
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1. Note:  We have already learned that Amos was supposed to utter a message to the people of Israel, yet we find him almost immediately turning to the surrounding nations with a warning of the coming judgment.  Perhaps this too was a message to Israel of the fact that if God was preparing to judge the surrounding nations, then He would also be making preparations to judge His own people.
2. For three transgressions and for four
1. Can be read as a third transgression and then a fourth
2. Can be read as three transgressions plus four more transgressions
3. They have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron.
1. More than likely this is the incident found in 2 Kings 10:32-33 [32] In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; [33] From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
   See All... where Hazael smote all the land of Gilead.
2. This event occurred because of the sins of Jehu (2 Kings 10:31But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.
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2. The Coming Judgment (Amos 1:4-5 [4] But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. [5] I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
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1. The Lord will send fire into the house of Hazael which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad (Amos 1:4But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.
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1. The king of Syria dwelt at Damascus (1 Kings 15:18Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
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2. Hazael was anointed king by Elijah (1 Kings 19:13-15 [13] And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? [14] And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. [15] And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
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3. Elisha knew of the evil that Hazael would do to the children of Israel (2 Kings 8:9-13 [9] So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? [10] And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die. [11] And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. [12] And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. [13] And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.
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4. A Benhadad reigned before Hazael, but this Benhadad is the son of Hazael that reigned in his stead (2 Kings 13:24So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead.
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5. Notice the connection of the Lord sending a fire to that of the last days (Joel 2:1-3 [1] Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; [2] A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. [3] A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
   See All...; Nahum 1:2-6 [2] God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. [3] The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. [4] He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. [5] The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. [6] Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
   See All...; Malachi 4:1For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
   See All...; Matthew 3:11-12 [11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: [12] Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
   See All...; 2 Thessalonians 1:8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
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2. The Lord will break the bar of Damascus (Amos 1:5I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
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1. During this time many of the cities were fortified with strong gates and walls.
2. Some of these gates were made with brass and barred shut with iron or brass (1 Kings 4:13The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:
   See All...; Psalm 107:16For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
   See All...; Isaiah 45:2I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
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3. The Lord is saying that the defenses of Damascus will be broken, and they will be defeated.
3. The Lord will cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven (Amos 1:5I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
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4. The Lord will cut off him that holdeth the scepter from the house of Eden (Amos 1:5I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
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5. The people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir (Amos 1:5I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
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1. Kir was in the land of Assyria.
2. The Lord declares that He will send Damascus into captivity to the Assyrians.
1. In 2 Kings chapter 16, Pekah, the king of Israel, and Rezin, the king of Syria, came up against Ahaz, the king of Judah (2 Kings 16:5Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
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2. Ahaz then sent messengers to Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria, to request his assistance (2 Kings 16:7-8 [7] So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me. [8] And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.
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3. Tiglathpileser came and smote Damascus and took the people captive to Kir (2 Kings 16:9And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.
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4. That this is the offense seems to be confirmed in Isaiah 17:1-11 [1] The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. [2] The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. [3] The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. [4] And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. [5] And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. [6] Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. [7] At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. [8] And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images. [9] In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. [10] Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: [11] In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.
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3. Consider the connection of this time with a prophecy concerning the coming of Christ (Isaiah 7:1-16 [1] And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. [2] And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. [3] Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field; [4] And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. [5] Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, [6] Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: [7] Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. [8] For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. [9] And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. [10] Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, [11] Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. [12] But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. [13] And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? [14] Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. [15] Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. [16] For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.
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4. Apparently there is still some judgment to be accomplished upon Damascus, for long after Tiglathpileser came in and defeated Syria, Jeremiah declares judgment upon Damascus (Jeremiah 49:23-27 [23] Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet. [24] Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail. [25] How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy! [26] Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts. [27] And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.
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3. THE JUDGMENT UPON PHILISTIA (Amos 1:6-8 [6] Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: [7] But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: [8] And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
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1. The Call for Judgment (Amos 1:6Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
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1. For three transgressions and for four
1. Gaza is one of the main cities of the Philistines (Joshua 13:3From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
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2. Of the five lords of the Philistines mentioned in Joshua 13:3From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
   See All..., four of those cities are named in Amos 1:6-8 [6] Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: [7] But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: [8] And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
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2. They carried away captive the whole captivity to deliver them up to Edom.
1. It is not for certain with what event this is dealing.
2. It has been suggested that this has to do with the Philistines making slaves of the people of God and selling them to the Edomites.
3. It is possible that it is connected to the events of 2 Chronicles 21:16-17 [16] Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: [17] And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
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2. The Coming Judgment (Amos 1:7-8 [7] But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: [8] And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
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1. The Lord will send fire upon the wall of Gaza which shall devour the palaces thereof (Amos 1:7But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:
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1. Fulfilled partially by the defeat of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:1-8 [1] Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. [2] Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. [3] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. [4] He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. [5] He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. [6] For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. [7] And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. [8] He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
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2. Further prophecy concerning the destruction of the Philistines is given (Jeremiah 25:17-29 [17] Then took I the cup at the LORD's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me: [18] To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day; [19] Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people; [20] And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod, [21] Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon, [22] And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea, [23] Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners, [24] And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert, [25] And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes, [26] And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them. [27] Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. [28] And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink. [29] For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.
   See All...; Jeremiah 47:1-7 [1] The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza. [2] Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl. [3] At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands; [4] Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor. [5] Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself? [6] O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still. [7] How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it.
   See All...; Zephaniah 2:1-7 [1] Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; [2] Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD's anger come upon you. [3] Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger. [4] For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. [5] Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. [6] And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. [7] And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.
   See All...; Zechariah 9:1-6 [1] The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD. [2] And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise. [3] And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. [4] Behold, the LORD will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire. [5] Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. [6] And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
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3. Notice the connection to the second coming of Christ (Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
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