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Zechariah Series - Session #8 - Bible Verse Handbook
Session 8 Fasting, Feasting, and God's Zeal (Zech. 7:1-8:23) I. INTRODUCTION A• Zechariah 7-8 calls us to encounter the zeal of God for His city Jerusalem, His people, and the supremacy and glory of His Son who will be worshiped by all nations 20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Peoples shall yet come, 16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zech. 14:16-18) D. The final removal of all their enemies as seen in Zechariah 5-6. This results in all nations worshiping Jesus 16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zech. 8:20-23) E. The Lord gave Zechariah a message about His zeal, burning desire, for His people and purpose. Zechariah was to motivate the people with this revelation of God's heart. 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; With promises of full restoration if they obeyed (Zech. 8) Warnings of judgment if they refused Him. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts. 14 “But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.” (Zech. 7:12-14) F. He wants us to see His zeal for us and respond with a zeal that loves Him with all our heart 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' (Mt. 22:37) H. Israel repented and recommitted to work on the temple in 520 BC 14 So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius. (Hag. 1:14-15) Zechariah called them to repent Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. (Zech. 1:3) They responded quickly 6 Yet surely My words and My statutes, “So they returned and said: ‘Just as the Lord of hosts determined to do to us, Then three months later Zechariah received eight visions in one night (Zech. 1:7- 6:8) II. THE CONTEXT FOR ZECHARIAH 7- 8 B• God's answer came in four messages each indicated by, “The word of the Lord of Hosts came” 4 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 1 Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying 18 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, D• The Lord never answered their question directly, but left them to decide, after giving them His perspective that they only fasted to make their life more comfortable, rather than to encounter Him in deep relationship 5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? (Zech. 7:5) He warned them that their fathers had approached Him that way too 7 Should you not have obeyed the words which the Lord proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?' ” Disobedience Resulted in Captivity 8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, 11 “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts. 14 “But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate.” (Zech. 7:7-14) E• The message was a call to wholeheartedness 4 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? 6 When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? (Zech. 7:4-6) (Zech. 7:7-10 See above ) In response to God's zeal for them Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; Commitment to bless them 3 “Thus says the Lord : ‘I will return to Zion, 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?' 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, 11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,' says the Lord of hosts. 12 ‘For the seed shall be prosperous, 14 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you 18 Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘The fast of the fourth month, 20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Peoples shall yet come, 23 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Yet with warnings of judgment for rebellion (Zech. 7:11-14 See above ) This message parallels Zechariah's first message when he called Israel to repentance. 3 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. (Zech. 1:3) Followed by an emphasis on God's zeal and blessing, yet with warnings of judgment 4 “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ' But they did not hear nor heed Me,” says the Lord . 5 “Your fathers, where are they? “So they returned and said: ‘Just as the Lord of hosts determined to do to us, Vision of the Horses 7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet: 8 I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white. 9 Then I said, “My lord, what are these?” So the angel who talked with me said to me, “I will show you what they are. ” 10 And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth.” 11 So they answered the Angel of the Lord , who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, “We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly.” The Lord Will Comfort Zion 12 Then the Angel of the Lord answered and said, “O Lord of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?” 13 And the Lord answered the angel who talked to me, with good and comforting words. 14 So the angel who spoke with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I am zealous for Jerusalem 16 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord : “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; 17 “Again proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “My cities shall again spread out through prosperity; Vision of the Horns 18 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were four horns. 19 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” So he answered me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” 20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 And I said, “What are these coming to do?” So he said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift up his head; but the craftsmen are coming to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.” (Zech. 1:4-21) III. ISRAEL'S FOUR NATIONAL FASTS (8:19 A• The Jews in exile had instituted four fasts 19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘The fast of the fourth month, Remember four tragic events related to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 BC (2 Kgs. 25) The only fast that the Law of Moses required was on the Day of Atonement 29 “ This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. (Lev. 16:29) 27 “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord . 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath.” (Lev. 23:27-32) B• Fast in the fourth month: 3 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 4 Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled at night by way of the gate between two walls, which was by the king's garden, even though the Chaldeans were still encamped all around against the city. And the king went by way of the plain (2 Kgs. 25:3-4) In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was penetrated. (Jer. 39:2) C• Fast in the fifth month: 8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 He burned the house of the Lord and the king's house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. (2 Kgs. 25:8-9) D• Fast in the seventh month: 25 But it happened in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck and killed Gedaliah, the Jews, as well as the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. (2 Kgs. 25:25) 2 Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him, arose and struck Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. (Jer. 41:2) Nebuchadnezzar made Gedaliah governor of Judah 22 Then he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left. 23 Now when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Careah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. 24 And Gedaliah took an oath before them and their men, and said to them, “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.” 25 But it happened in the seventh month that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck and killed Gedaliah, the Jews, as well as the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 And all the people, small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. (2 Kgs. 25:22-26) Gedaliah respected and cared for Jeremiah 11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, 12 “Take him and look after him, and do him no harm; but do to him just as he says to you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's chief officers; 14 then they sent someone to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people. (Jer. 39:11-14) 5 Now while Jeremiah had not yet gone back, Nebuzaradan said, “Go back to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever it seems convenient for you to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him rations and a gift and let him go. (Jer. 40:5) E• Fast in the tenth month: Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. (2 Kgs 25:1) IV. QUESTION FROM THE DELEGATION FROM BETHEL (7:1-3) A• Men from Bethel come to Jerusalem to ask a question about the necessity of fasting Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, 2 when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the Lord , 3 and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?” (Zech. 7:1-3) V. THE LORD'S REBUKE (7:4-7) A• The Lord rebuked the people and did not give them a direct answer to their question 5 Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: “When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? 6 When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? 7 Should you not have obeyed the words which the LORD proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous?” (Zech. 7:5-7) 7. God's grace empowers us to give “all” our strength to Jesus; this is the most reasonable response we can give to His worthiness. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, us kings and priests to our God; 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain VI. THE COMMAND TO REPENT 9 Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. 10Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless…let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother. (Zech. 7:9-10) B• Their forefathers neglected to obey and it resulted in God's judgment 11“They refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear…13They would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the LORD of hosts. 14“But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations…Thus the land became desolate after them…for they made the pleasant land desolate.” (Zech. 7:11-14) Since they refused to listen when the Lord called, so He refused to listen when they called . 11 Therefore thus says the Lord : “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. (Jer. 11:11) VII. THE FULLNESS OF BLESSING COMING TO JERUSALEM (8:1-17) C• In Zechariah 8 we see two main messages with ten distinct themes, each introduced by “Thus says the Lord" 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; (Zech. 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 14, 19, 20, 23 See above ) D• God's promises for Israel and all His people are rooted in revelation of His zeal 2 I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; with great fervor I am zealous for her. (Zech. 8:2) 1• Zechariah had been commissioned with a specific message to proclaim about God's zeal 14Thus says the LORD of hosts: “I am zealous for Jerusalem…” 2. Jesus has zeal for Jerusalem. Thus, we engage our hearts with His purpose for this city. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because of her rebellion again God 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! (Mt. 23:37) In Ezekiel's day, God spared the intercessors who mourned over Jerusalem's sin 4 and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” 5 To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. 6 Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple (Ezek. 9:4-6) The Lord promises to prosper any who will love and pray for Jerusalem. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you…” (Ps. 122:6) 3. God promises to bless the godly by comforting and restoring Jerusalem. He exhorts the Gentiles to rejoice with Jerusalem and not be disengaged, critical, or envious (Isa. 66:10) Rejoicing or engaging with her is essential to participating with her blessings (Isa. 66:11) 10Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you who love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; 11that you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom… be delighted with…her glory . (Isa. 66:10-11) 5. The message of God's zeal is given to awaken our zeal for God. Jesus told the church of Laodicea that they must repent and be zealous because He loved them. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Rev.3:19) E• The Lord will live in Jerusalem 3 “I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the LORD of hosts, the Holy Mountain.” (Zech. 8:3) Just as Zechariah prophesied earlier 16 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord : “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; 10 “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord . (Zech. 2:10) Jesus referred to Jerusalem as the city of the great King 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. (Mt. 5:35) The nations will call Jerusalem the City of Truth, and the temple mount will be called the Holy Mountain. Jesus' throne will be there, making Jerusalem the epicenter of God's activity throughout the millennial earth 2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days F• Jerusalem will be a city that is perfectly safe without any fear, crime, or war 4 “Old men and old women shall sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with his staff in his hand because of great age. 5The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.” (Zech. 8:4-5) Elderly people will sit in the streets, and children will play in them without fear. Isaiah described people living to a great age, even for hundreds of years, being as “old as a tree” 20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, G• These blessings seemed too good to be true to the people of Zechariah's day 6 “If it is marvelous [too good to be true] in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes?” says the LORD of hosts. (Zech. 8:6) H• The Lord promised to bring His people back to Jerusalem 7 “Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; 8 I will bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness.” (Zech. 8:7-8) I. The promises in Zechariah 8:1-8 gave them motivation for wholehearted obedience 9 Let your hands be strong, you who have been hearing in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, who spoke in the day the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD of hosts, that the temple might be built. 10For before these days there were no wages for man nor any hire for beast; there was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; for I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor . (Zech. 8:9-10) The phrase “these days” 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, 15 So again in these days “this people” 11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,' says the Lord of hosts. I will cause the remnant of this people 1• “Be strong” 4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the Lord ; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says the Lord , ‘and work; for I am with you,' says the Lord of hosts. (Hag. 2:4) Zechariah told them three times to be strong 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, 13 And it shall come to pass 15 So again in these days 2. The foundation was laid: Israel laid the foundation twice, 18 years apart. The first time was in 536 BC 8 Now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began work and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and above to oversee the work of the house of the Lord . 9 Then Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah, arose as one to oversee those working on the house of God: the sons of Henadad with their sons and their brethren the Levites. 10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord , the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord , according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. (Ezra 3:8-10) But hindrances came and they quit working on the temple for 16 years. 8 I will bring them back, 3. No wages: 6 “You have sown much, and bring in little…and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes…9 You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away...because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house…11I called for a drought on the land.” (Hag. 1:6-11) 15 ‘And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the Lord — 16 since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,' says the Lord. (Hag. 2:15-16) They were in a new season in which the Lord promised “from this day will I bless you” 18 ‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord 's temple was laid—consider it: 19 Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you. ' ” (Hag. 2:18-19) 4. No peace: There was no peace from the enemy, including foreigners Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the Lord God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers' houses, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers' houses of Israel said to them, “You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God; but we alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” 4 Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, 5 and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. (Ezra 4:1-5) J• God promised to bless the economy and agriculture and stop the drought 11“But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days…12For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew—I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these.” (Zech. 8:11-12) 19 Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you. ' ” (Hag. 2:19) Zechariah both rebuked 5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? (Zech. 7:5) And encouraged the people in his own generation. 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Let your hands be strong, You who have been hearing in these days 11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,' says the Lord of hosts. 12 ‘For the seed shall be prosperous, 14 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Just as I determined to punish you K• God will save Israel and Judah and cause them to be a blessing to the nations 13 And it shall come to pass 3 I will bless those who bless you, There will be a worldwide reversal of the curse in the Millennium. 13“It shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.” (Zech. 8:13) L• Zechariah emphasized both sides to Israel receiving God's blessing in his generation 14“Just as I determined to punish you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I would not relent, 15so again in these days I am determined to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear.” (Zech. 8:14-15) Israel's in obeying 16“These are the things you shall do: speak each man the truth to his neighbor; give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; 17Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; do not love a false oath. All these are things I hate.” (Zech. 8:16-17) In light of God's great promises, the people should speak with truth, do justice, and bring peace in their community life. 9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, VIII. JESUS WILL BE EXALTED IN THE NATIONS FROM JERUSALEM (8:18-23) A• The Lord only gave a partial answer to the question about fasting. 5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? (Zech. 7:5) 8. The fast days of the past will be feasts in the future, as Israel experiences the fullness of salvation. 19The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be…cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace. (Zech. 8:19) B• God's zeal is for the supremacy and glory of His Son, who will be worshiped by all the nations from Jerusalem 11 “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. (Zech. 2:11) 20“Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities; 21the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us continue to go and pray before the LORD, and seek the LORD of hosts. I myself will go also.' 22Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.” (Zech. 8:20-22) 16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zech. 14:16-18) This will be a result of Jesus living Jerusalem 3 “Thus says the Lord : ‘I will return to Zion, C• All will come to Jerusalem to worship Him 16Everyone who is left of all the nations…shall go up from year to year to worship the King… 17Whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. (Zech. 14:16-17) D• People from all nations will come to Jerusalem to worship Jesus and see His glory 18“I will gather all nations [Gentiles] and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory… 19I will send to the nations…who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. 20Then they [Gentiles] shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations…to My holy mountain Jerusalem. (Isa. 66:18-20) F. Jerusalem will be the epicenter of blessing in millennial kingdom. 2 All nations shall flow to it [Jerusalem]. 3 Many people shall…say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He [Jesus] will teach us…for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:2-3) G. Many Gentiles will grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, not to persecute them, but to ask to accompany them because God's blessing so obviously rests on him. Jesus' glory will be so apparent in Jerusalem that all the nations will go to Him 23“In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.' (Zech. 8:23)
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