Zechariah 8:1-8

Zechariah 8:1

Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

 

Once again the word of the LORD came to Zechariah.  The term “LORD of hosts” signifies the power and authority of God along with his faithfulness in covenant keeping.

 

Zechariah 8:2

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

 

The LORD uses the term “was jealous” noting that his jealousy over Israel stemmed from years back to the time of the Exodus and even before in choosing Abraham for salvation.  God had a great love for Zion and he protected it against all the things which would cause it harm.  The term “jealous” is in the Piel stem which is used in the law of jealousy as noted in Numbers 5:14-15.  {14} And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:  {15} Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.  (Numbers 5:14-15)  Just as a husband was jealous for his wife if she committed adultery against him, the LORD was jealous in the same way as a husband is for his wife.  The LORD’s jealousy was also combined with his great fury against those who would have done her harm such as Assyria and Babylon.

 

Zechariah 8:3

Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

 

The LORD has returned unto Zion as the temple nears completion.  For the past seventy years he had to forsake them because of their rebellion but now their sentence is complete and they have now returned and since the temple will once again be the center of worship, God will once again dwell in their midst.  Since the temple will also be the place where the true worship of God takes place, the other cities of the surrounding nations will still be steeped in false religions with false gods.  The mountain of the LORD will be where the temple was built and shall be called the holy mountain.

 

This verse also speaks about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He will dwell in the midst of Zion which is another name for the body of believers.  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  (Matthew 18:20)  Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.  (Psalm 50:2 ) Jerusalem will be called the city of truth and that is what the body of believers will be called as they go forth all over the world preaching the truth of Christ.  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,  (Hebrews 12:22)  The holy mountain refers to the kingdom of God.  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.  (Isaiah 11:9)  The whole earth shall have the knowledge of the LORD and that can only happen in the New Heavens and New Earth since now there is a darkness over the understanding of unsaved man but that will be removed when sin will be removed from the earth and the LORD remakes the earth in righteousness with only the Elect of God dwelling therein.

 

Zechariah 8:4

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

 

Before the seventy year captivity, the streets of Jerusalem were very dangerous especially to the elderly but now because of the presence of the LORD, the streets were now a place where the elderly could walk down and not fear for their lives.  Having a staff in their hands would have meant that the people would need them to lean on because of age.  Now that they had security, many will live into old age without fear of being killed.

 

Zechariah 8:5

And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

 

The two most vulnerable groups during a time of war are the elderly and the children.  The streets which once were a very dangerous place would now be safe for the children to be able to play in.  This also means that the population will grow in Jerusalem because if there are many children, then these are going to be many adult inhabitants.

 

Zechariah 8:6

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

 

The promise of the safety of Jerusalem as spoken of by both the elderly who could walk the streets safely and the children being able to play in the streets means that at this time the population of Jerusalem was small but the LORD is promising that it will increase to the point of many children being born and the elderly living a long time which means when 2 or 3 generations are living simultaneously means the population will increase greatly.  The people had thought this was a marvellous thing which means difficult or extraordinary but because of the LORD overseeing this population increase it is nothing for him to perform it because there is nothing too difficult for the LORD.  Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:  (Jeremiah 32:17) 

 

Zechariah 8:7

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

 

Then the LORD declares that he will save his people from the east country and the west country.  This is a figure of speech meaning that the LORD will save his people no matter where they are in the world.   And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.  (Matthew 8:11)  Salvation of the Elect of God will be worldwide in scope.

 

Zechariah 8:8

And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

 

The “them” in this verse is both the Gentiles and Jews who are the elect of God that will eventually become saved.  The midst of Jerusalem shall be in the city of God which is the New Jerusalem where both Gentiles and saved Jews will dwell.  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;  (Ephesians 2:19)  The saved in Christ shall be called “my people.”  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.  (1 Peter 2:10)  Notice that all the saved are called “the” people of God.  There are not two chosen people groups on earth but only one, the true body of believers in Christ.  God will be the God of those who have become saved because in them will dwell truth and righteousness as we read in Zechariah 8:3, “The city of truth”.  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  (Revelation 21:3)

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