Zechariah 2

Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. Zechariah 2:1

At the beginning of this chapter the appearance of men and angels is a little confusing. The man with the measuring line mentioned here is probably the same as the young man mentioned later in verse 4. The angel speaking with the prophet is apparently the same one we saw in 1:9, 13, and 19. The angel who came to meet this angel is one with special heavenly knowledge and the ability to command the first angel. This one would almost have to be the angel of the Lord. [1] The language in verse 5 seems to verify this.

We might say a word about angels here. They appear many times in the Old Testament. Utley tells us that they regularly appear in apocalyptic literature [like Zechariah and Daniel for instance]. [2] However, their role is generally diminished in the New Testament. The author of Hebrews tells us why. The world to come will not be ruled by angels but by redeemed humanity under the headship of Christ (Heb. 2:5ff.).

“I asked, ‘Where are you going?’ He answered me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is’” (2:2). In the Bible the measuring line could represent planned destruction (cf. 2 Ki. 21:13; Lam. 2:8) or it could represent planned rebuilding as in this case (cf. Eze. 40:3). It took some degree of faith for the prophet to speak of rebuilding Jerusalem. The restored city had the beginnings of a temple but no walls to protect it or its people. In ancient times that left the populace open to invasion from every enemy. It would be over seventy years before the wall was built by Nehemiah.

“While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him and said to him: ‘Run, tell that young man, “Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it”’” (2:3-4). This other angel, as we have mentioned, is likely the angel of the Lord making another appearance. To the unbeliever, this message was almost laughable. We know that as late as Nehemiah’s day they had to cast lots, apparently to force some people to live in Jerusalem (Neh. 11:1). Obviously, Jerusalem was underpopulated, to say the least. David Guzik says, “…It is as if the man with a measuring line went into a huge old cathedral where only a few attended church and started to make sure it was large enough for the crowds God was sure to bring.” [3]

We can see by this that prophecy often touches both the natural and the spiritual realms. For sure, Jerusalem would be rebuilt naturally. The Jewish historian Josephus in the first century AD would mention that the population of the country greatly increased in the time of the Maccabees (second century BC). [4] Since prophecy is the eternal word of God it has the ability to look across the ages to later fulfillments. In the time of Christ, the regular population of Jerusalem was probably around half a million people. In today’s restoration, as we have mentioned previously, the population of Jerusalem is already nearing one million. Present-day Jerusalem is truly a city without walls and stretches over 48.3 square miles (125.2 sq. km.). [5]

In the coming Millennial Age the population of the city will balloon. We know from the Book of Revelation that the city will have natural and spiritual proportions that defy our present understanding (Rev. Ch. 21). It will ultimately be populated by multiplied millions of God’s saints. No doubt, Zechariah’s prophecy was looking forward to this end day as well as the immediate history.

“‘And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be its glory within’” (2:5). Utley thinks that this is reference to the Shekinah, that cloud of glory that accompanied and shielded the Israelites in their wilderness wanderings (cf. Exo. 14:19-20). [6] It could also be a reference to the glory of the Lord returning to the city, as spoken of by Ezekiel (43:2-5). [7] Coffman adds, “…God’s real people do not need any walls, the holy presence of Almighty God is all that the true Israel needs.” [8]

Coming Out Of Babylon

“Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the LORD. Zechariah 2:6

The third night vision is now ended and this is the prophet himself speaking. There were many Jewish people who were left in Babylon, since a company of only about 50,000 people returned to the land of Israel (Ezr. 2:64). Babylon would continue for centuries to be the exiled home of the Jewish people. In fact, after modern Israel was reestablished in the mid-twentieth century most of the remaining Jews of Iraq (Babylon area) were brought back to its land in an airlift known as Operation Ezra-Nehemiah. There were 124,000 who returned. The event prompted the President of Israel to declare that the 2500-year Babylonian captivity of the Jewish people had drawn to a close. [9] Jeremiah says: “Hear the word of the LORD, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd’” (Jer. 31:10).

We might wonder why Babylon is spoken of as being in the land of the north. The fact is that Babylon was several hundred miles east of the Holy Land. In ancient times, because of the vast desert areas east of Israel, it was necessary for a traveler to follow the Fertile Crescent. This required a trip north and then eastward along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

A lot of Jewish people including the past President of Israel might assume that the Babylon saga is over, but this is not true. Babylon is more than just a city. It is a great trans-historical system of evil that has severely persecuted God’s people. It is interesting that chapters 17 and 18 of the Book of Revelation speak of the final fall of Babylon and its judgment by God. Babylon has not only affected Israel but it has affected the church through the centuries. The city represents spiritual bondage of God’s people; the compromise and adulteration of biblical principles; the commercializing of our holy faith; the true source of spiritual adulteries; the seat of spiritual pride; the origin of sorcery, just to name some of her flaws.

It is interesting that Babylon must be judged before the Bride of Christ or the true church can be revealed. After all these centuries God is still saying to believers: “… Come out of her, my people so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4). Just as natural Babylon was judged and punished physically by the Medes, Persians and others, spiritual Babylon will be judged by God at the end of the age.

“Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” (2:7). Here, the second time, God’s people are urgently called upon to escape Babylon. God had originally commanded them to build houses and settle down in Babylon since their time there would be 70 years (Jer. 29:28). The Jews, being masters of many trades, skills and languages had no doubt done well in the city. But now it was time to leave, for their future home and hope would be in the restored Israel. “Escape” is in the Hebrew imperative. [10] They now needed to flee from Babylon and return to Zion. We should note that the expression “daughter of Babylon” is nothing but a Semitic way of referring to Mesopotamian empires and cities. [11] A similar expression will later be used of Jerusalem.

“For this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you— for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye…’” (2:8). The difficult Hebrew of this verse might be better translated by the NET Version: “For the LORD who rules over all says to me that for his own glory he has sent me to the nations that plundered you…” The great Augustine says of this: “the ‘Almighty’ sends the ‘Almighty.’ This can only mean that God the Father sends God the Son.” [12] Baldwin says, “This is one of the most difficult verses in the book.” [13]

Here the Messiah proclaims how precious Israel is to God the Father. The Lord’s nation is so precious that it can be compared to the apple of God’s eye. Pfeiffer and Harrison describe the apple of the eye saying: “The pupil of the eye is most tender, easily injured, irreplaceable, and carefully protected.” [14] The pupil in Hebrew is called the “daughter” of the eye since it is as precious and dear to a man as his only daughter. [15]

Zechariah continues: “I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me” (2:9). When the Almighty God raises and shakes his hand over nations, their punishment is certain (cf. Job 31:21; Isa. 11:15). It has been estimated that there were 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire that was soon to rise. That comprised about a third of the total population. [16] For many ancient countries, the very large slave populations posed a continual threat. Slave revolts were thus greatly feared and these were often put down harshly. It was a mark of great humiliation and judgment when slaves rose to take control of a country.

The Great Joy Of God’s Presence

“Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the LORD. Zechariah 2:10

The return to Zion is a joyous thing both naturally and spiritually. After hundreds of thousands of Jews returned, and the nation of Israel was founded in 1948, there were great crowds in the streets dancing and rejoicing. Regarding the spiritual return Isaiah says: “Those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isa. 51:11).

It has always been God’s plan to live among his people in Jerusalem. We note in Revelation 21:3: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’” That is how it all will end, with God living with his people in Zion. There will be eternal joy and eternal glory.

“Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you” (2:11). The joy and glory will not be limited to the Jewish people. All through the Bible, we have hints that Gentile people finally will be included (Deut. 32:43; 1 Chr. 16:31; Psa. 117:1: Isa. 2:1-3; Zech. 8:20-23; 14:16). The New Testament makes clear that through Christ and his sacrifice, believing Gentiles will be joined to Israel and the two will become one people. This is a great mystery hidden through the ages but now clearly revealed to us (Eph. 2:11-22; 3:6).

In that day Jerusalem will be the spiritual center of the world: “ At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts” (Jer. 3:17). Jerusalem will become the joy of the whole earth (Psa. 48:2).

“The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem” (2:12). Warren Wiersbe, correctly points out that this is the only time in scripture that Israel is called the holy land. [17] There have been plenty of times in history that Jerusalem has appeared to be un-chosen as well as unholy. Indeed, because of the sin of his people, God has had to turn his back on Jerusalem for hundreds of years. Jerusalem being un-chosen is only a figure of speech though, since Jerusalem is eternally chosen by God (Psa. 132:14).

“Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling” (2:13). The Hebrew for “be still” is haas, which sounds a little like “hush” in English. The Hebrew word also has this meaning.

As the Jewish people returned to the land there were myriads of voices raised against them and their work of restoration. If those enemies of old had only suspected that the Almighty God was dwelling in Jerusalem they would have backed away in fear and trembling. We cannot miss the fact that today voices all over the world are again being raised against Jerusalem and the Jewish people. Many look upon the Israelis as criminals for settling their own city and land. Unfortunately, through the BDS Movement, the Presbyterian Church (USA), United Methodist Church, United Church of Christ, and several other groups including the World Council of Churches, have joined the boycott, divest and sanction (BDS) movement towards Israel. Let Bible believers draw their own conclusions from the very strange actions of these Christian groups.

It seems that it might be a good time to just “hush” and watch God work once more in the restoration of Jerusalem and his people. Habakkuk the prophet says: “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (Hab. 2:20).

Footnotes

1. Nicoll, Sermon Bible Commentary, Commentary on Zechariah, v. 2:5.

2. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, vs. 2:1-2.

3. Guzik, Enduring Word, Zechariah, vs. 2:1-5.

4. Pfeiffer & Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 899.

5. World Facts, https://www.worldscapitalcities.com/capital-facts-for-jerusalem-israel/

6. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 2:5.

7. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 107.

8. Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, v. 2:5.

9. Jim Gerrish, Does God Play Favorites? (Minneapolis: Cornerstone Publishing, 2000, 2003, p. 123.

10. H. Van Dyke Parunak & Richard E. Whitaker, WTT Hebrew Text (University of Michigan, 1981-82), Zech. 2:7. BibleWorks 10.

11. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 2:7.

12. Alberto Ferrekiro, ed., Ancient Christian Commentary of Scripture, XIV, The Twelve Prophets (Downers Grove, Intervarsity Press, 2003), p. 236.

13. Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, p. 109.

14. Pfeiffer & Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 900.

15. John Trapp, John Trapp Complete Commentary, 1601-1698, v. 2:8. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/zechariah-2.html

16. Kline Snodgrass, The NIV Application Commentary; Ephesians, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), p. 83.

17. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 1503.