Zechariah 8: 1 – 23
Good Times
1 Again the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; with great fervor I am zealous for her.’ 3 “Thus says the LORD: ‘I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the LORD of hosts, The Holy Mountain.’ 4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. 5 The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.’ 6 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’ says the LORD of hosts. 7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘ Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; 8 I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’ 9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, you who have been hearing in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, who spoke in the day the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD of hosts, that the temple might be built. 10 For before these days there were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; there was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; for I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the LORD of hosts. 12 ‘ For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these. 13 And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, let your hands be strong.’ 14 “For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘And I would not relent, 15 So again in these days I am determined to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear. 16 These are the things you shall do: speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; 17 Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,’ says the LORD.” 18 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’ 20 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘ Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities; 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “ Let us continue to go and pray before the LORD, and seek the LORD of hosts. I myself will go also.” 22 Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.’ 23 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
Have you ever had anyone in your past that you were madly in love with? Have you ever thought about this person and wondered how their life turned out? If this happened to you then in a way you can understand from your heart how much you may have been in love with that person at one time. In a way we see the stirring of our Lord’s heart over His people. He Is moved to say this to us today through the prophet Zechariah,
1 Again the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; with great fervor I am zealous for her.’
This statement emphasizes His great passion for the Israelites. He cares for His people. He longed to bless them with His presence and in turn desired their worship. Look at what the prophet Jeremiah says in chapter 31:3, The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying:“ Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.’
3 “Thus says the LORD: ‘I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the LORD of hosts, The Holy Mountain.’
Zion is a poetic equivalent of Jerusalem. God loves us and wants to hang out with us. The way we act and think, it is hard to comprehend what a Great and Loving Holy One Is He. Give Him a reason and He desires to Bless you. Restoration is always possible as long as you have breath because of Who He Is. We have messed everything up without His Leadership. When He returns everything will be right. He will reign and everyone will know that Jerusalem will be renamed to be the City where Truth reigns. This is a day that all believers should long for. If you are comfortable here than you aren’t ready for the coming king because what is going on here is garbage compared to what will occur in the future kingdom. Look at some of these characteristics that our Precious Ruler will do for us.
4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. 5 The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.’ 6 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’ says the LORD of hosts.
Please notice first of all the significance of the two age groups – Old people and children, 4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. 5 The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.’ Throughout history the old and young are the first victims of brutality by evil forces. We read in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 25 that the enemies of Israel would attack the back of the procession of the Israelites traveling to the Promised Land. Why? Because the young and old could not keep up with the army and younger adults, ‘ 17 “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, 18 how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. 19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.’
Both groups are plentiful in this vision, filling the streets with their normal everyday activities. This is a sign of the complete peace and prosperity when our Holy God Is ruling personally on the earth. Remember, He Is The Prince of Peace. His rule will be wonderful. Look at what the prophet Jeremiah says regarding the future kingdom on earth, 10 “ Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, ‘ He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’ 11 For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he. 12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the LORD— for wheat and new wine and oil, for the young of the flock and the herd; Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all. 13 “ Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together; for I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow. 14 I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the LORD.”
Our Lord’s accomplishment of this promise will amaze the people, 6 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’ says the LORD of hosts.’ When our Precious Lord Blesses us we have a hard time understanding. What He does often time leaves us speechless. This was displayed greatly when our Holy Master blessed David as reported in the book of 2 Samuel chapter 7, 18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? 20 Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant. 21 For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. 22 Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God.’
7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘ Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; 8 I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’
Our Magnificent Holy Jehovah Sabbaoth – The Lord of the Heavenly Hosts is committed to His own. This statement speaks volumes about our current events, 7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘ Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; 8 I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’ I encourage you to take a look at one of the maps you may have in your bibles and notice how Israel is located. Please note that the enemies that have hurt this little nation have come from the North and South. We read that our Lord is going to re-gather His own from the East and West. This term represents all the nations to which the Jews have been scattered. We are the people of the West. How current are these words to realize that our country that was once the starch allies of Israel has today turned its back on God’s elect.- The nation of Israel. This present government administration has joined the world in being against Israel. We are now witnessing Jews leave our country and head back to settle in Israel. We, my friends, are truly in the last days.
9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, you who have been hearing in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, who spoke in the day the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD of hosts, that the temple might be built. 10 For before these days there were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; there was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; for I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.
We need to pay attention to our Holy Father’s directions just like what He has said here, 7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘ Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; 8 I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.’ Once He has describe His course of action for our lives we need to be strong and do whatever He wants. In the end we will be the most blessed for our obedience.
His plea to the Israelites were obeyed and the foundation of the second Temple was laid in 530 BC as we read in the book of Ezra chapter 3, 8 Now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began work and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and above to oversee the work of the house of the LORD. 9 Then Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah, arose as one to oversee those working on the house of God: the sons of Henadad with their sons and their brethren the Levites. 10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD: “For He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel.”Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.
Our Lord has informed us on how to think and live. In the book of Isaiah chapter 65 verse 16 we read, Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth; he who takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.’ The city of Jerusalem is going to be renamed, The City of Truth. In verse 10 our Holy Jehovah Elyon – The Lord Most High – has mentioned the past. He has reminded His people that when their ancestors felt that they could live without Adoni Yahweh in their lives they had no profits and no peace. No matter how hard they worked they never got ahead. In addition, they had constant fear from within their own thoughts and outside from enemy opposition.
11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the LORD of hosts. 12 ‘ For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew— I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these. 13 And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, let your hands be strong.’ 14 “For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘And I would not relent, 15 So again in these days I am determined to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear.
I love the word, ‘’but now’. For now the Lord will turn things around. He will again love, bless, and favor His people In the past the Israelites had been subject to God’s Judgment, now because of their obedience in rebuilding the Temple, they can anticipate His blessings. We may be tempted to slow down or stop doing God’s Will. Our Holy Father knows all things especially what the outcome of our labor of service for Him will do. He can give us the encouragement to stay the course and reap the harvest that awaits the faithful.
The first promise is to again allow the people to experience agricultural prosperity, ‘11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the LORD of hosts. 12 ‘ For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew.’ The nation of Israel is about the size of the state of New Jersey, yet it is number two in the world in supplying agricultural products. Pretty Amazing.
In addition our Lord Is again promising His people that they will possess all the land that He has promised, ‘I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these.’ This should answer any Palestinian land grab questions, shouldn’t it?
16 These are the things you shall do: speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; 17 Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,’ says the LORD.”
Our Holy Jehovah Ropheka – the Lord Who Leads us is ready to do great things for His people but only if they are responsive to His directions. Our Holy Father outlines again for us the ethical obligations of a life of faith and obedience. He again states that He wants us to be honest and upright with each other. ‘16 These are the things you shall do: speak each man the truth to his neighbor.’ The Apostle Paul takes up this command as he teaches us in the book of Ephesians chapter 4, ‘25 Therefore, putting away lying, “ Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.’
The next requirement our Lord highlights is, ‘Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace.’ We need to exercise true justice. ‘In your gates’ was where justice was carried out. Justice as you well know has been perverted and twisted by evil men and women. This atrocity is not to happen among God’s people. The aim of justice should always be for peace. It must always though be with truth. You cannot have the one without the other.
The next verse has cut me right through my heart, ‘Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor. I have this neighbor that has made my life horrible. He and his family have done everything they possibly can to harass, insult, offend, ridicule, and hurt my family and me. In all truth I have had some evil thoughts. Yet, our Lord keeps saying to me, ‘now Tom that is not how a Pastor is supposed to think and act.’ After grumbling a little I agree and try to extend good against evil. In solace, I keep reminding the Lord, ‘ and I do remember the verse that vengeance is Yours Lord.’
You can see our Lord’s interest in the court system as he again comments on this area, ‘and do not love a false oath.’ Our King wants us to be honest when giving testimony on things and when we make promises. In the book of Psalms chapter 15 we find this comment from our God, ‘LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? 2 He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart. 3 He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend. 4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change. 5 He who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.’
18 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’ 20 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘ Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities; 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “ Let us continue to go and pray before the LORD, and seek the LORD of hosts. I myself will go also.” 22 Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.’ 23 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’
In chapter 7 we have learned that the people had added four fasts to their yearly religious ceremonies. We have learned that this action was a matter of their sinful hearts. There was no genuine mourning over sin but a mourning because of loss. They put on a show to move God by their tears and made up actions. Man comes up with the ideas that God will be impressed with what they do. They fail to realize that it is a matter of one’s heart that really matters. If you feel you have hurt the One Who Loves you, you repent.
When you do change your thoughts, the Lord will change things drastically like He did here, ‘The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’ With God again at work for and among His people they can change periods of fasting to periods of feasts with joy and gladness.
Our Lord closes this chapter reminding us all that in the future people from all nations will come to seek Him – Jehovah Sabbaoth – the Lord of Hosts. We will be kings and priests to those who come to see, pray and worship our Holy God. Instead of Jews being hated, people will recognize that God is with and for them. What a great time that will truly be.
