Jerusalem Trembling/Jerusalem Rising

The ancient Hebrew Prophet Zechariah wrote "I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about" (Zechariah 12:2, KJV). This ancient seer was allowed to peer into contemporary times and predict events relating to the city of Jerusalem. For at this present time many nations are concerned about Jerusalem because of the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestenians. Zechariah wrote during the sixth century B. C., to the captives of Judah who were once under the rule and reign of the ancient Babylonians. The tribe from which Jesus of Nazareth would descend from had at this point in the history of Israel had been carried away by the Babylonians. Then the Medes and the Persians would later control Jerusalem and under the rule of Darius Zechariah would receive the word of the Lord (Zechariah 1:1). In an environment that had Jerusalem under the control of foreigners Zechariah would rehearse briefly why Judah had been carried away (Zechariah 1:2-7). But like all the ancient prophets Zechariah would also rehearse God's great love for His people as well as for the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 1:12, 13; 17).