The Final Week

Anyone who has played video games to any degree will know that hidden within may of the levels of a game are Easter Eggs.  Easter Eggs are hidden features of the game that you can't see initially but that you may stumble upon as your are exploring the level.  For example in Mario brothers if you would jump on a certain cloud or go down a certain tunnel then it would open you up to a whole new part of the game where you can get extra lives and gold coins.

The concept of hidden treasures isn't just confined to the genius of Nintendo but also is a fascinating feature of the Word of God.  A fair share of the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus were "Easter Eggs" in that they likely didn't set the expectation of the Jews as they looked for the Messiah in their day but were discovered by the early Church as they were considering the events of Christ's life in the context of studying the Old Testament.  To the point that they were likely struck with awe as they considered that God foresaw so many details of Christ's life.

The Book of Zechariah in particular is filled with Easter Eggs about the Final Week of Jesus' Life.  These prophecies are:

HUMBLE AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY

We see in Zechariah 9:9 that God inspires the prophet to tell Israel that their "King is Coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey."  This was spoken in the context of God speaking about the fate of enemy nations and the future conflicts Israel would have with them and interestingly enough the Spirit of God saw it fit to put within a sandwich of conflict and war that this humble king would "speak peace to the nations" and that God would destroy the weapons of war from Israel.  This was marvelously fulfilled in Jesus on Palm Sunday as He rode the donkey into Jerusalem.

THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER

Zechariah 11:4-17 is a strange telling of the prophet where he recalls how God told him to become a shepherd.  After being a shepherd for some time he goes to quit because he had conflict with 3 other shepherds and as he quits he asks for his wages and they give him 30 pieces of silver.  The Lord shows him that the whole thing was a prophetic experience and that he was to throw the 30 pieces of silver to the potter in the house of the Lord because that was the price in which they had valued God.  We see that this strange prophecy was literally fulfilled by Judas as he betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.  Thus valuing the life of God to be that paultry amount.  And even throwing those 30 pieces into the Potter's field after he felt guilt upon realizing what he had just done.

STRIKE THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP WILL SCATTER

This verse in Zechariah 13:7-9 is quoted by Jesus in Mark 14:27 to tell the disciples that He would be crucified.  But what is profound about these verses in Zechariah is that verses 8 and 9 seem to be a prophecy about the nation of Israel splitting with two-thirds (or the majority portion) remaining Jewish while one-third (the minority portion) following Jesus.  And that this smaller group of people would be brought through the fire and called the people of God.   This truly seems to be none other than the tribulation that the early Church faced at the hands of Rome.

LOOK UPON THE ONE YOU HAVE PIERCED

This verse in Zechariah 12:10 is referenced in Revelation 1:7.  What is fascinating about this verse is that it combined the reality of Jesus' First Coming - in that He was pierced in His Hands, Feet and Side - with the Promise of His Second Coming.  This Promise being that the Jewish people will recognize that He is the Messiah.  This is remarkable because it is an Old Testament marker of the First and Second Comings wrapped up into one prophecy.  How do we know that the Old Testament shows a distinction between the two Advents?  This is one of the reasons.

So as we consider who Jesus is and how He revealed Himself to mankind let us lift our eyes to the Heavens and say "Thank You God for coming and dwelling among us."