What consequences are mentioned for nations not celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles? Zechariah’s Prophetic Scene Zechariah 14 looks ahead to the age when the Messiah reigns from Jerusalem and the whole earth is summoned to join Israel in worship—specifically at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). In that future setting, the prophet spells out very concrete, literal consequences for any nation that refuses the invitation. Stated Consequences for Non-Participation Zechariah 14:17-19 lists two closely linked judgments: • “rain will not fall on them” (v. 17) • “this will be the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations” (v. 18) Verse 19 sums it up: “This will be the punishment of Egypt and of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.” So the judgments are: 1. Withheld rain—resulting in drought, famine, economic collapse. 2. A divinely sent plague—calamity beyond the normal effects of drought. Why Lack of Rain Is So Severe • In the biblical world, rain equals life (Deuteronomy 11:14). • God often used drought as a discipline tool (1 Kings 17; Jeremiah 14:1-6). • Egypt is singled out (v. 18-19). Though historically Egypt relied on the Nile rather than rainfall, even that mighty river is subject to God’s hand (Exodus 7:17-18; Isaiah 19:5-10). The point: no nation is immune. Plague as Added Pressure • The Hebrew term can cover anything from pestilence to disease to ecological disaster. • Similar language is used of the ten plagues on Egypt (Exodus 9:14). • In Zechariah 14:12 the prophet has already described a horrific plague on hostile armies; verse 18 extends the warning to stubborn nations in peacetime. Old-Testament Echoes • Deuteronomy 28:22-24—drought and disease listed among covenant curses. • Leviticus 26:19-20—“I will make your sky like iron and your ground like bronze.” • 2 Chronicles 7:13—“when I shut the heavens so that there is no rain … ” New-Testament Confirmation • Acts 14:17—God normally “has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven”; loss of that kindness is a clear sign of judgment. • Revelation 11:6—prophetic authority to “shut the sky, so that it does not rain” reappears in the end-times context. Takeaway for Nations • God’s call to worship is not optional; refusal invites tangible, national-level discipline. • The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God’s provision and presence; rejecting it means forfeiting both. • Even in the coming kingdom age, obedience and blessing, disobedience and judgment remain inseparably linked. Consequences, then: withheld rain producing drought, and an accompanying plague—direct, measurable, and inescapable for every nation that refuses to honor the Lord at His appointed feast. |
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