Project 119: Zechariah 8
| Project 119 | Amy Hirsch
I come from a long line of women who love fixer-upper shows. When I call my mother or my granny, if they are watching TV when the phone rings, chances are good that the TV is turned to HGTV and they’re watching the latest renovation show. And, I have to admit, there’s something alluring to me about these shows as well; after all, it’s incredible to see a run-down bungalow transformed in merely thirty minutes!
Zechariah 8 feels a little bit like a “fixer-upper” show to me, but one on cosmic proportions. This isn’t the Lord declaring that He is going to fix up a house, but rather a city and a people. And the transformation won’t happen because God picked new paint colors for the kitchen cabinet; rather, the transformation pictured in Zechariah 8 will come to pass because God promises His faithfulness to His people. His love is all-consuming and will not forever abandon Israel. He declares He will return to Zion and will dwell in Jerusalem. The city which was once adulterous will be called faithful again.
There are so many contrasts here, aren’t there? The land once seemed forsaken even by God, but now His presence abides there with His people. It felt like God’s promises to Abraham, to make Him a great nation, had been put on pause in the exile as Abraham’s descendants were imprisoned and taken to serve foreign countries—but here, the land is filled with young and old, living in peace. The people were fasting (remember Zechariah 7?), but the Lord declares that a day will come for feasting and celebration! Jerusalem was once made a laughing-stock among the nations, but Zechariah goes so far as to prophesy that one day, foreigners will long to come to Jerusalem because they have heard that God dwells there!
When I watch one of those fixer-upper shows, I always doubt their abilities. “There’s no way they can fix up that dump!” I think to myself. And I’m continually proven wrong by their skill and prowess. God speaks to the same doubts in verse 6. Is this all marvelous and wondrous? Absolutely! Is it outside of the hand of God to make such a reversal happen? Absolutely not. After all, He is the God who spoke and formed the cosmos. He is the God who continually sustains the world. And He is the God who, in Christ, came to be with His people and was obedient to death, even death on the cross. He is the God who is high and lifted up, who all will one day confess as Lord (Philippians 2:8-11). And He is the God who is rich in mercy, who calls us His own, who loved us and made us alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). Nothing is impossible for Him.
Zechariah 8 (ESV):
The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion
1 And the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and 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 with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And 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 sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts? 7 Thus says 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 to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”
9 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.10 For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. 12 For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”
14 For thus says the LORD of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not.16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; 17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.”
18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says 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 seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.
20 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.’ 22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. 23 Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”