Zechariah 13:8

8 And it hath come to pass, In all the land, an affirmation of Jehovah, Two parts in it are cut off -- they expire, And the third is left in it.

Zechariah 13:8 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 13:8

And it shall come to pass, [that] in all the land, saith
the Lord
Either in all the land of Israel, as Kimchi interprets it; or rather in all the world, as Aben Ezra and others; for this prophecy seems to have respect, not to the calamities of the Jews at the destruction of Jerusalem, after the death of Christ, when a few were saved, a remnant according to the election of grace, yet so as by fire, for whose sake the days of tribulation were shortened; but to the external state of the church, and the trouble of it throughout Christendom, about the time of the destruction of antichrist: two parts therein shall be cut off [and] die;
all hypocrites, formalists, and outward court worshippers; who seem as if they would be at this time two thirds of the professors of true religion; who will not be able to stand the hour of temptation that will come upon all the earth, to try the inhabitants of it; which will be the last struggle of the beast of Rome, ( Revelation 3:10 ) but will be twice dead, plucked up by the roots; will die to the profession of religion, and be cut off from the people of God, and have no more a name with them: but the third shall be left therein;
the few names in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; the hundred forty and four thousand that will stand with Christ, and by him, on Mount Zion, being redeemed from among men, ( Revelation 3:4 ) ( Revelation 14:1 Revelation 14:4 ) compare with this ( Revelation 16:19 ) .

Zechariah 13:8 In-Context

6 And [one] hath said unto him, `What [are] these wounds in thy hands?' And he hath said, `Because I was smitten [at] home by my lovers.'

7 Sword, awake against My shepherd, And against a hero -- My fellow, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts. Smite the shepherd, and scattered is the flock, And I have put back My hand on the little ones.

8 And it hath come to pass, In all the land, an affirmation of Jehovah, Two parts in it are cut off -- they expire, And the third is left in it.

9 And I have brought the third into fire, And refined them like a refining of silver, And have tried them like a trying of gold, It doth call in My name, and I answer it, I have said, `My people it [is],' And it saith, `Jehovah [is] my God!'