RESTORATION AND REJOICING (8:1-23)
Neal Pollard
Whereas they had had a checkered past that earned captivity, Judah looked ahead with hope. Zechariah shares God’s message of love and invitation to be restored. The tone changes and the focus shifts to the bright days ahead for a humbled, penitent people. All of it centered around the character, nature, and attributes of God.
JEHOVAH’S JEALOUSY (1-2). Zechariah says God is “exceedingly jealous” and “with great wrath” He is “jealous.” That word means to get red in the face from jealousy. It speaks of getting excited and heated with a zealousness that moves one to fight for or against something. Why is this a hopeful statement? The Lord feels this for His people, and He will act in their favor against the nations who had carried them away into captivity. His passion is now on restoring them and reestablishing them in Zion and Jerusalem (3).
JEHOVAH’S FELLOWSHIP (3-6). The Lord says He will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem with His people, content elderly people (4) and happy, playing children (5). The most vulnerable of society will go about their lives in peace and without worry. While that may seem like a pipe dream, it’s fulfillment is contingent on God’s ability to make it happen. Thus, it is assured.
JEHOVAH’S SALVATION (7-8). The salvation He mentions is from being dispersed from abroad (from east and west)(7). The picture is of intimacy, God saying, “They shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness” (8). Contextually, this salvation is physical and national (Ezekiel prophecies of these moments in Ezekiel 11:20; 36:28), but it foreshadows a salvation that will be described in very similar words at the end of the Bible (Rev. 21:3).
JEHOVAH’S ENCOURAGEMENT (9). God is doing the encouraging and exhorting, but notice how He does so. It is through the mouth of the prophets. A sentiment that first appears in Isaiah’s writing will be a golden thread throughout the centuries, even to today: “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace
and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!'” (Isa. 52:7). We see it again in Nahum 1:15, Romans 10:15, and Ephesians 6:15, and implied in so many other passages. These words of encouragement, through the prophets, were to finish the work God gave them in rebuilding the temple.
JEHOVAH’S PROMISES (10-15). Notice them in this paragraph, offered to the whole community:
- They would be treated better than their fathers (the punishment and strife of captivity replaced with emancipation and production)(10-11).
- They would have abundant, fruitful harvest instead of barrenness (12).
- They would be a blessing rather than a curse (13).
- They would be the object of God’s good in place of the harm He previously brought (14-15).
JEHOVAH’S CHARGE (16-17). God admonishes Judah to be ethically sound, speaking truth and justice (16). They were to root out evil from their hearts against each other, and do right from the inside out (17). Why? Most of all, God hates such things. Second, it was the way for peace to be in their gates. God’s commands bring blessings to the obedient and prevent punishment upon those who would be disobedient.
JEHOVAH’S INCENTIVE (18-23). By embracing God’s promises and obeying God’s charge, they could anticipate feasting where there had been fasting (19). Their role was to “love truth and peace” (19; Amos 5:15). They would be honored and respected among the nations whereas they had been despised by them (20-22). They would be esteemed whereas they had been scorned. In a unique promise, God says of those days, “ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you'” (23). Compare these verses with Psalm 126!
The days were coming when the Gentiles would be gathered into God’s kingdom. Zechariah has intimated this (2:11), as had other inspired messengers (Isa. 2:1-4; Mic. 2:1-4). The Jews’ hope all along, as we see in Zechariah, was the Jehovah they knew and loved being embraced and accepted by all men. This, of course, was fulfilled in Christ (Eph. 2:11-15)!
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