The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion

 

 

Zechariah 8:1-8

 

The Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion

And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.   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.   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.   And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.   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?   Thus, says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 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.”

 

This is a dramatic change from Judgement to restoration.  God has spoken to Zechariah in this manner, I’m no longer going to bring judgment on my people, for I long for a relationship with them, l long to have fellowship with my people, so I’m going to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, my Spirit will dwell with the people.  

 

Most of these Jewish people had spent 70 years in pagan lands with pagan gods made of wood and stone, made by the hand of a craftsman, they had eyes but could not see, mouths but could not speak, and now Zechariah is telling them the God who is, wants to bless them and have fellowship with them.  That He was angry with their fathers but will show mercy to them, for He desires to have a relationship with them.

 

So many in the church have gods that cannot see, nor hear, yet they keep returning to them.  What is the problem, could it be ignorance of God’s written word, or that we have become too proud to agree with God’s written word?  All things have a beginning, at first, a person must agree that God is true, and all people are lawbreakers.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)  God designed us to need to be loved but many are not looking to God, but as the song goes; “looking for love in all the wrong places.”  Many very religious people are trying to earn God’s acceptance by doing good acts, yet God’s written word is very clear that is not the way to the Father.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

 Our God, He is a Promise Keeper, and this was how verse eight ended; And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice