Zacharias 13:8

8 And it shall come to pass, in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts thereof shall be cut off and perish; but the third shall be left therein.

Zacharias 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 ) .

Zacharias 13:8 In-Context

6 And I will say to him, What are these wounds between thine hands? and he shall say, with which I was wounded in my beloved house.

7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherds, and against the man my citizen, saith the Lord Almighty: smite the shepherds, and draw out the sheep: and I will bring mine hand upon the little ones.

8 And it shall come to pass, in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts thereof shall be cut off and perish; but the third shall be left therein.

9 And I will bring the third through the fire, and I will try them as silver is tried, and I will prove them as gold is proved: they shall call upon my name, and I will hear them, and say, This is my people: and they shall say, The Lord my God.