Zechariah 8
BBCZechariah 8:1
D. Third Message (8:1-17)Meaning: The Lord will yet pour out His blessings on Judah. 8:1-5 The third message to the delegation from Bethel promises future blessing to Judah. Great wrath will go out against the enemies of Judah (v. 2). Jerusalem will be restored and called “the City of Truth,” its streets transformed into a playground for boys and girls and a social center for old folks. 8:6-8 If this seemed marvelous to the numerically tiny remnant, was it therefore so hard for God to do? He is the One who will bring . . . back the exiles and dwell in their midst as their God. While these verses had an immediate application to the people in Zechariah’s time, their complete fulfillment awaits our Lord’s Second Advent. 8:9-13 The people who had been hearing the encouragements of Haggai and Zechariah were exhorted to continue building. Before they started work on the temple, there had been widespread unemployment, and violence stalked the streets. But now God promises them peace and prosperity, and they would be a blessing to the Gentiles instead of a curse. 8:14-17 Just as surely as God had promised calamity to His people in the day of their disobedience, so now He purposes to do good to them. In view of that, they are exhorted to live truthfully, justly, and peacefully, avoiding the things that the LORD hates (thinking evil . . . against one’s neighbor and loving a false oathdishonesty).
Zechariah 8:18
E. Fourth Message (8:18-23)Meaning: Israel’s fasts will be turned to feasts, and Jerusalem will be the world center of worship. 8:18 As an encouragement to the delegation from Bethel, the Lord promises that the mournful fasts would be turned into seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. The fast of the tenth month mourned the siege of Jerusalem (2Ki_25:1); the fourth month marked its capture (2Ki_25:3); the fifth month, its destruction (2Ki_25:8-10); the seventh month, the murder of Gedaliah (2Ki_25:25). 8:19-23 The closing verses of the chapter picture many Gentile peoples and strong nations flocking to Jerusalem from all over the world to seek the LORD of hosts. In that day, the Jews will be the channel of blessing to the world. Notice the frequent use of the expression “Thus says the LORD” or “Thus says the LORD of hosts” in this chapter: vv. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 14, 19, 20, 23.