John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 14:12

"And this shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will smite all the peoples that have warred against Jerusalem: their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their sockets, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth." — Zechariah 14:12 (ASV)

The Prophet adds that although there would be many ungodly men who would distress the Church and attempt many things for its destruction, God would be a defender. He would inflict punishment, which would exhibit a clear and decided proof of the paternal favor He shows toward His Church.

But these things do not seem to harmonize: that the people would dwell safely at Jerusalem, and yet that there would be enemies violently disturbing the city. However, when he says that they would dwell safely, he does not mean that no one would be anxious to harm them. Instead, he means that trusting in God’s protection, they would continue safe in the greatest dangers, because they would be convinced that God, who promised to stand on their side, would be stronger than all.

The habitation of the godly would then be secure, not because they feared no attacks from enemies, but because they firmly believed that they would be preserved by a power from above. This would be true even though the devil incited many people on all sides against them, and also prepared and instigated many wicked men to plot their ruin.

And to this power we ought to lift our thoughts when various enemies rage against us, so that we may dwell in safety and wait with quiet minds until God delivers us. For our safety is concealed under the faithful protection of God, which is only made known to us by His word and promises.

Let us, however, bear in mind what the Prophet teaches us here: that when God gives free rein to enemies, His vengeance is near, and He will inflict punishment for all those wrongs and injuries which we patiently endure.

He says, This shall be the plague with which Jehovah shall smite all people. He mentions all people again, lest a multitude of enemies terrify the faithful when they find themselves unequal to them and almost overwhelmed by their vast number. They were not to doubt that the hand of God would prevail.

Then he adds, His flesh shall consume away, or melt away. There is a change of number, but the sense is not obscured. For he says, This shall be the plague with which Jehovah shall smite all people; his flesh shall melt away, as though he were speaking of one man. Then he immediately adds, while he shall stand on his feet; and his eyes shall melt away, and his tongue in their mouth. We see how the Prophet changes the number three times, but there is nothing ambiguous in the subject itself.

He means that it would be no great task for God, when He has resolved to punish the adversaries of His Church, whether they are many or few. For He can easily destroy them all, as though He were dealing with only one man.

But it also seems that Zechariah had another thing in view: that as God’s vengeance would apply to each individual, no one of them would be safe. Thus, the vengeance of God would be universal, without any exception, and executed on all armies and on each individual.

We must now notice the kind of punishment described here: God would destroy them all without the hand or aid of men. He says, his flesh shall melt away, or dissolve. In this case, divine vengeance is more clearly seen; that is, enemies, though no one fights with them, nevertheless consume away by themselves.

Then he adds, when they shall stand on their feet; and yet their flesh shall melt away. The Prophet no doubt alludes to the curses of the law, among which this is especially to be observed: that God in various ways consumes the wicked, so that they melt away when no cause is apparent (Deuteronomy 28:21–22).

The meaning then is that God has various means by which He can reduce our enemies to nothing, even though they may seek aid from every side. We are therefore taught by these words to cast all our cares on God. For when our enemies seem to be placed beyond the reach of danger and confidently boast that nothing harmful can happen to them, yet their death and life are in God’s hand, so that they can be consumed by His breath alone.

There is then no reason for us to depend on earthly means when we seek to be certain about the destruction of our enemies, for God can consume them from within. Though they may seem to stand whole and sound, yet they will be dissolved, so that even their eyes shall melt away in their sockets; that is, they shall fail without any external force.

We indeed know that eyes are well protected; being covered with their defenses, they seem to be beyond the reach of harm. But the Prophet intimates that the hidden vengeance of God can penetrate into the innermost parts; in short, that there is nothing so safe that it can escape the vengeance of God.

He also says, The tongue shall melt away, or dissolve (it is the same verb), in their mouth. He afterwards adds—