In “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” there is a scene known as the Battle of Helm’s Deep. It’s the epic battle at the end of the movie when the armies of Saruman, consisting of Orcs, Uruk-hai, and other evil forces, attack King Théoden at Helm’s Deep, where the Rohirrim have taken refuge (nerd alert).
So much of the future of Middle Earth rides on this battle. Though they are sheltered behind the walls of the Hornburg, they quicky realize they are outnumbered and outpowered compared to the tens of thousands of enemy soldiers they face.
It is a hopeless scenario.
In Zechariah 12-14, there is a story, a prophecy, of the future of Jerusalem. It is a vivid and hope-filled prophecy about how God will have the ultimate victory when he establishes his kingdom. He reminds Jerusalem that though their enemies will rise up against them, he will be their defender and protector.
There is a repeated phrase in the chapters that is hard to miss: ON THAT DAY. Fourteen times that phrase is written, to lay out the future of Jerusalem, both in its judgment of their sin and its promise of a messiah who will come to be the victor and conqueror of evil.
At the end of the Helm’s Deep battle, the enemy seems to have all but won and the Rohirrim have retreated. But Aragorn remembers the words of Gandalf: “Look to my coming, at first light on the fifth day.” That sounds a bit like Zechariah’s “on that day” statement. And as they ride out to face the enemy, backup arrives and Helm’s Deep is spared.
These chapters in Zechariah remind the reader of who has the ultimate victory. No matter how outnumbered and outpowered you feel, remember this: God is unmatched. His power has no equal.
Questions for reflection:
1. Was there a time when you felt outnumbered or outpowered?
2. How does it feel to know God has the ultimate victory?