I reckon the Jews that flee to Petra ... if they are wearing a watch that also shows not only the time but the date ... perhaps ... they can figure out when the 2nd coming is. But what if, their watch battery stops working? Also will the Jews know the tribulation is only for 7 years? How do they get this knowledge ... from the 2 witnesses and 144,000 ministry? Perhaps they will be in the dark about the whole time frame of the calamities? :whistle: You wrote " When Zechariah breaks the staff Beauty, he is annulling the covenant that restrained the Gentiles from oppressing God’s people, Israel" Zechariah became a prophet in 520 BC. According to what you said, the restraint was lifted off, there should be more oppression against Israel from that time on. We learn from history since 520 BC, the oppression against Israel has been stopped. When they came back to their land in 538 BC, they were bothered and oppressed by Samaritans when they tried to build their second temple. They stopped the work for 18 years. God appeared to Haggai in 520 BC, and urged them to complete their work on the second temple. Motivated by God, Darius agreed and gave decree to people not to bother their work. I don't see oppression against them like what you have suggested Also, prior to the breaking of covenant with all the people, God said he would cut off three shepherds in one month. Can you justify what God said by quoting historical and biblical evidence if this is the case? And immediately after the breaking of covenant, a foolish shepherd appears. Most of us agree this foolish shepherd is Anti Christ. How do you justify his appearance in the 6th century BC? "Not according to the King of kings and it is Him that I will believe, not man’s interpretations." Has Jesus ever said there would be no warning prior to rapture? You wrote "The Church was not formed until the Book of Acts, not during the time of Zechariah." The church is prophesied in Genesis 3:15, And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Is there anything wrong for God to prophesy the church in Zechariah 11, since he has also prophesied the coming of the church in Genesis 3? Has Jesus ever said there would be no warning prior to rapture? Jesus said we would know the season but if He doesn't know the day or the hour then how can He give us a warning? And immediately after the breaking of covenant, a foolish shepherd appears. Most of us agree this foolish shepherd is Anti Christ. How do you justify his appearance in the 6th century BC? I'm not sure who "most of us" are but of the 11 commentaries I own none of them agree with you. They state that the three shepherds in Zechariah 11 are ruler over Israel. To read into this verse that they mean a prophesied coming of war is not supported by the text. While the Anitchrist is a foolish shepherd, that is not what this text is referring to. The two staffs in the text represent God's desire to show grace to His people, and to unite Judah and Israel. It is not the church. We can easily see that God shows His grace and mercy to the church, but this was accomplished by the sacrifice of His Son.
