This verse prophesies concerning the incarnation of Christ in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:4-6; Luke 2:4-7). Although Christ came forth from Bethlehem, His goings forth were from ancient times, from the days of eternity. This refers to Christ’s eternal origin and indicates that in eternity, before the creation of the earth, Christ was preparing to come forth. Christ’s appearing, His manifestation, began in eternity. From ancient times, from the days of eternity, the Triune God was preparing to come forth out of eternity into time, to come with His divinity into humanity by being born in Bethlehem as a man. His creating of all things was His preparation for Him to come out of eternity into time. This was the purpose of creation. Then, while the “locusts” were operating to consume Israel (Joel 1:4; 2:25), Christ came forth.

Christ’s going forth, His appearing, is a continuous matter. At the time of His incarnation He began to come forth. After His incarnation, He continued to go forth through His human living, His death, His resurrection, His ascension, His outpouring of the consummated Spirit (who is the reality of Christ Himself), and His spreading through the preaching of the gospel to the whole inhabited earth. All these are great steps in Christ’s going forth. His going forth has not ceased but is continuing today. Christ’s going forth, His manifestation, will consummate when He comes back with the overcomers as the mighty ones (Joel 3:11) to defeat Antichrist and cast him into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:19-20), when Satan is cast into the abyss (Rev. 20:2-3), and when Christ sets up His throne to reign as King (Matt. 25:31, 34, 40). At that time His appearing will be complete.

While Christ is on the way, He is taking care of the scattered Jews. On the one hand, Israel is under God’s chastisement; on the other hand, Israel is also under God’s shepherding care. This shepherding is God’s preservation of Israel.

In the restoration Christ will be the Ruler, the Shepherd, and the peace to His elect, Israel (vv. 2-5a). Today, as our Ruler, Christ keeps us; as our Shepherd, He nourishes and cherishes us; and as our peace, He controls our environment so that we may enjoy Him.

In this verse the prophet first speaks of the land of Assyria and the land of Nimrod, and then, prophesying concerning Christ, declares, “He will save us from Assyria.” Christ in His coming will take the full responsibility to deal with all human government, represented by Assyria and Nimrod. Human government that was formed in opposition to God began with Nimrod, the first type of Antichrist and the founder of Nineveh (the capital of Assyria) and Babel, which issued in Babylon (Gen. 10:8-11 and note Gen. 10:8¹). Throughout the centuries human government, including the empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, has been used by God to carry out His work of chastising Israel. Eventually, the entire human government — the four kinds of locusts mentioned in Joel 1 and the four sections of the great human image described in Dan. 2 — will be smashed by a single stone, Christ as the stone cut out without hands that will become a great mountain and fill the whole earth (Dan. 2:34-35 and notes). It is in this way that Christ will save Israel from Assyria.

In relation to Christ’s coming and the restoration of Israel, Assyria equals Rome, and Nimrod equals Antichrist. Eventually, Israel will be invaded by Antichrist, the last Caesar of the Roman Empire, and his armies. At this juncture Christ will come to destroy Antichrist and his armies and to save Israel (Zech. 14:2-7; Rev. 19:19-21). At that time, the great human image will be crushed by the stone cut out without hands (Dan. 2:31-35). Assyria, Nimrod, the empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, and Antichrist will be no more, and the entire earth will become the kingdom of God for eternity (Rev. 11:15). Then all Jehovah’s elect will enjoy Him. This is God’s comfort to Israel, a comfort that is a matter of restoration (Acts 3:20-21).

After Christ deals with all the enemies, the remnant of Jacob will be blessed by Jehovah, and they also will be victorious among the nations (vv. 7-9).

In the day of restoration Jehovah will clear up the armies, cities, strongholds, witchcraft, idols, and idol worship from Israel, and He will execute vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations (vv. 10-15).