Similarly, Zechariah - accommodating his language to the understanding of his times - uses Jewish conceptions to express New Testament truths, e.g., the conversion of the Gentiles (8: 20-23) is signified by the coming of the nations to Jerusalem, and the joy of the Church in her final perfection (14: 16) is figuratively represented by the keeping of the feast of tabernacles.Banner of Truth notes:
The closing chapters of Zechariah, containing references to events which are evidently not yet accomplished, are notoriously difficult. The principles of interpretation which Moore adopts in his cautious expositions of these profound portions of Scripture are most helpful and his conclusions provide much food for thought.May I suggest that these closing chapters are, indeed, awaiting fulfillment. The only true difficulty occurs when attempting to make sense of them while assuming that the Church is True Israel. They mean what they say.
Horatius Bonar got it right when he stated:
The Prophecies regarding Israel are the key to all the rest. True principles of interpretation, in regard to them, will aid us in disentangling and illustrating all prophecy together. False principles as to them will most thoroughly perplex and overcloud the whole Word of God. ~ Prophetical Landmarks
I believe that God’s purpose regarding our world can only be understood by understanding God’s purpose as to Israel. ~ “The Jew,” The Quarterly Journal of Prophecy