Zechariah Chapter 8                                                  Treasures From The Book of Zechariah

 

Zech 8: [1] Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, [2] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

 

1. Divine Punishment             (1-2)

 

            Chapter 8 continues with the word of the Lord which came to Zechariah in the 4th yr of Darius the King.

            The project of the Jews, which was the rebuilding of the Temple, is about half way complete.

 

            There are 2 Jewish leaders sent to Jerusalem to ask if the fast held in the 5th month should continue.

            This fast was started in remembrance of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, 2Kings 25:8-9.

            The Jews have observed this fast during the 70 year captivity and the many years of Temple building.

            Since the Temple is currently being rebuilt they wonder if this fast should continue.

 

            In chapter 7, God said the fast held in the 5th month was never instituted by the Lord, but by men.

The only fast God gave the Jews was to observe the Day of Atonement Lev16:29-34.

God asks “When ye fasted in the fifth and seventh month, all those years, did you fast to me?”

Obviously these days of fasting were more about self pity and observing rituals than honoring the Lord.

            All God wanted from the Jews was the obedience and worship of their hearts.

 

            Now in chapter 8, this message from the Lord will continue.

            God says that he was jealous for Jerusalem. “Jealous” means red with emotion and demands loyalty.

            Remember God said in Genesis 12, “I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee.

            God’s jealousy is not envy, but is boundless zeal from a God who loves holiness and hates sin.

            God’s jealousy is a zeal of righteousness and a zeal of love.

            God has such zeal for Israel, that He will reach out in vengeance and judge anyone who hurts Israel.

 

 

Zech 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.   

 

 

2. Divine Presence                 (3)

 

            The presence of God was withdrawn from Israel because of their idolatry.

            Ezekiel saw the glory of God leave the Temple (Ez. 11:23) and quickly the Babylonians captured Israel.

            In Zechariah’s day the presence of God was nothing more than a distant memory.

            But, now the presence of God is declared and has returned to the Temple which is being built in Israel.

 

            God says that He will dwell in Jerusalem.

To dwell means to abide and thus God will transform Jerusalem into a city of truth.

 

 

Zech 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. [5] And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

 

 

 

3. Divine Peace                      (4-5)

 

            God says the streets of Jerusalem may be desolate now, but God will bless and fill them with people.

            There will be old men and women. There will be children playing.

            The city that is now desolate will be transformed into a city of peace.

 

 

Zech 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.

 

4. Divine Power                      (6)

 

            These promises may seem impossible for the people to believe but there is nothing too hard for the Lord.

            Genesis 18:14, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?  Matt 19:26with God all things are possible.”

            God is going to fulfill His every promise.

 

 

Zech 8: [7] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; [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.

 

5. Divine Populating               (7-8)

 

            God is going to gather the Jews from across the world back to Jerusalem.

            This is not just a reference to the many who have not returned from Babylon during Zechariah’s day.

            This promise is present and future, as God will one day gather the Jews from around the world.

            Remember what happened during WWII with the Holocaust and all the Jews Hitler murdered?

            In 1948, Israel was once again recognized as a nation by the world.

            This is the blessing of God and began the re-gathering of the Jews from around the world to Israel.

            The Jews will return from the lands of the rising sun to the setting sun.

 

            In verse 8, God says that there will come a day in which the Jews will turn to the Lord.

            Presently, the Jews do not believe in Jesus as the Son of God, but one day they will repent.

One day the Jews will turn to Jesus. God will be their God in truth and righteousness.

 

 

Zech 8: [9] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. [10] For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour. [11] But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. [12] For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. [13] And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

 

 

 

6. Divine Prosperity               (9-13)

 

            God says “let your hands be strong.”

            In Zechariah’s day Jerusalem and the Temple was in ruins and the people were under oppression.

            There was no money to pay men or feed animals.

            There were great enemies against the Jews and there was no peace in the land.

            But God says “let your hands be strong.” In other words be of a good courage and continue the work.

            God is going to cause the hard times to pass away and God will give His prosperity unto His people.

 

            In verse 12, God promises to prosper the seed and ensure that the ground shall give her increase.

God will cause the heavens to give supply and will cause the people of Israel to be blessed.

Again God encourages the people to “let your hands be strong.” God knows the result of the labor!

 

 

Zech 8: [14] For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: [15] So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. [16] These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
[17] And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.

 

7. Divine Preference              (14-17)

 

            In verse 14, God says “when your fathers provoked me to wrath and I said I would punish them, I did.”

            In verse 15, God says “in these present days I am going to do well unto you, don’t be afraid.”

 

            God had kept His words of promise to punish Israel and thus God will keep His promise to bless Israel.

            The sorrows of their punishment became a promise for the blessings of the future.

 

            In verse 16, God reminds the people to continue to serve the Lord.

            God says “speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor;  execute the judgment of truth.”

            Do not be a respecter of persons. Do not regard riches, nor social standing.

            Live without preference, this will promote unity and harmony.  

 

            In verse 17, God reminds the people to continue to serve the Lord. We must live peaceably.

            God says do not “imagine evil” against your brother in your heart; and “love no false oath.”

            We must not plot, plan, devise, falsely accuse or slander our brother. God hates these things.

 

 

Zech 8: [18] And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, [19] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.

 

8. Divine Pleasure                  (18-19)

 

            The fasts of the 4th , 5th , 7th and 10th months, had become rituals but God would turn them into feasts.

            Those 4 fasts were started by the Jews and were ritually observed for 70- 90 years.

            The sorrowful fast of the 4th month remembered the taking of Jerusalem.

            The sorrowful fast of the 5th month remembered the destruction of the Temple.

The sorrowful fast of the 7th month remembered the murder of the governor Gedaliah and 80 others.

The sorrowful fast of the 10th month remembered Babylon’s siege against Jerusalem.  

            God will turn their sorrowful fasts into days of feasting, for God will send joy unto the Jews.

 

 

Zech 8: [20] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: [21] And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. [22] Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.

 

9. Divine Prayer                     (20-22)

 

            God says that “it shall yet come to pass” that nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord in prayer.

            The city of Jerusalem was once destroyed and kicked around, but Jerusalem will become a holy city.

 

 

Zech 8: [23] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

 

           

10. Divine Prominence           (23)

            God says “in those days it shall come to pass” that men will know that God has chosen the Jews.

            Today the Jews are gathering back home to Israel, but in this world they are still hated terribly.

            Yet God promises that the day is coming where 10 men will attach themselves to one Jew.

            Because the world will know that God is with the Jews.

 

            * I think of Ruth, a Moabitess, who left all behind to go with Naomi, the Jew, in order to serve the Lord.