John Trapp on Zechariah 14:4

Verſe 4. And his fcet ſhall ſtand in that day upon the mount of Olives] that is, he ſhall ſo put forth his power for defence of his people, as if he did viſibly appear amongſt them, and beheld the fight from the top of a mountain: like as Zerxes uſed to pitch his tent on high, and ſtand looking on his army when in fight, to encourage them, and to ſend out orders. From this Mount it was, that God departed after many former removes, from Ieruſalem Ezech. 11.23. And what wonder, when as Har Hamiſcha the mount of Unction was become Har Hamaſchith the mount of Corruption 2 King. 23.13? the bold lews having let up their Idol in this mount Olivet, even in the ſight of the Lord: ſo that he never looked out of the Sanctuary,Iohn 18. Mat. 26.30. but he beheld that vile hill of abominations. From this mount it was that our Lord Chriſt aſcended into heaven, Act. 1.11. There he was apprehended by the Jews: there therefore it is prophecied that he ſhall ſtand againſt them by the Romans, ſay ſome, out of Joſep. de Bello Jud. lib. 6. cap. 3. And that when theſe things ſhould come to paſle the Jews might know that their utter deſtruction was neer at hand. So God ſhewed unto the Ninivites on what ſide their city ſhould be taken: and what at that time ſhould be the power and the attempts of the enemy againſt them, Nah. 2. and 3. and yet neither of theſe repented for all this. Others (more probably) hold that here is promiſed ſuch a powerfull preſence of God for the relief of his people, as ſhall farr exceed the glory that appeared at the promulgation of the law, when the mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs:Pſal. 114.6. Heb. 12.21. ſo terrible alſo was the ſight, that Moſcs ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake. I alſo ſee and tremble at the reſemblance (ſaid an holy man) betwixt that giving of the law, and the requiring of it at the laſt day. In the one Mount Sinai only was on a flame: all the world ſhall be ſo in the other. To the One, Moſes (that climbed up that hill, and alone ſaw it) ſayes, God came with ten thouſand of his Saints. In the other, thouſand thouſands ſhall miniſter to him, and ten thouſand thouſands ſhall ſtand before him. Hereunto ſome refer that obſcure paſſage in the next verſe, The Lord my God ſhall come, and all the Saints with thee: and that at the day of judgement Chriſt ſhall deſcend with all his Angels into mount Olivet, which hangs over the valley of Jehoſhaphar, that there he may plead with all nations, for his people, and for his heritage Iſracl, whom they have ſcattered, and parted their land Ioel. 3.2. Further they ſay, that mount Olivet ſhall then be ſhaken with a very great earthquake: ſo that it ſhall cleave in the middeſt, and leave a very great valley: it ſhall enlarge the valley of Iehoſaphat, that it may be able to receive thoſe that are there to be judged by Chriſt. Thus Leſſius, Sa, à Coſta, à Lapide, who alſo citeth for his purpoſe Clemens Romanus lib. 7. Conſtit. Ap. cap. 33. ſpeaking thus, Mons ipſe Oliveti gloriae venientis cedet & in quaetuor partes diſſectus longiſſimè diffugiel, ut tribunali judicis theatrum totius orbis aſſiſtat. i. e. Mount Olivet ſhall give place to the glory of Chriſt when he commeth; and being cleſt into foure parts, it ſhall flie far afonder, to the end that the theatre of the whole world may ſtand before the tribunall of the Judge. Thus He. and ſurely the following verſes, 6, 7, 8, &c. ſeem to favour this interpretation, and to have relation to the laſt Day. But in Propheſies not yet fulfilled (as this may be one) it is better and more ſure to expect and ſtay for the explication by the event, then to give it without any certain ground.