V A 1-3. Displeasure and Reconciliation.
B 4-12. Inhabitants. Privileges.
A 13-15. Displeasure and Reconciliation.
B 16,17. Inhabitants. Duties.
407 B.C.
Zechariah 8)
1 Again the word of the LORD of hosts (Yahaveh Sabaioth) came to me, saying,
2 "Thus has said the LORD of hosts (this is a Decalogue of prophecies concerning Jerusalem and its inhabitants. All refer to the future, and await their fulfillment in millennial days); 'I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.' ( Zion is God's favorite place in the universe. His eternal kingdom will be established there. God becomes jealous, when His children go whoring after a false god.)
3 Thus saith the LORD; 'I am returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem (ref. Ex. 29:45): and Jerusalem shall be called a city of fidelity (cp. Isa. 1:21,&.); and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.' (Cp. Isa. 2:2. Jer. 31:23. Ezek. 40:2. Mic. 4:1. This too will come to pass when Father establishes His eternal throne in Jerusalem.)
B C 4,5. Inhabitants. Ages.
D 6. Address to Remnant.
C 7,8. Inhabitants. Condition.
D 9-12. Address to Remnant.
4 Thus says the LORD of hosts; 'There shall yet old men and old women sit in the broad places of Jerusalem (in the days of the future fulfillment), and every man with his staff in his hand for multitude of days.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the broad places thereof.' (This is a Hebraism, or figure of speech, meaning it will be peaceful. Everyone will be safe on the streets.)
6 Thus says the LORD of hosts; 'If it be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days (the exiles who had then returned. Cp. Hag. 1:12,14), should it also be marvelous in My eyes?' saith the LORD of hosts. (If it pleases His elect, it pleases Him.)
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts; 'Behold me saving My People from the east country, and from the west country; (Put for the whole world. Cp. Isa. 43:5. Pss. 50:1; 113:3. Isa. 59:19. Mal. 1:11,&c.)
8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be My People, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.' (Ref. Ex. 6:7.. Some think this prophecy has already come to pass. If you are one of them, you need to wake up. There is an awful lot of war going on over there at this time.)
D q 9. Encouragement.
r 10. Past Adversary.
q 11. Promise.
r 12. Future Prosperity.
9 Thus says the LORD of hosts; 'Let your hands be strong (not poor me babies), you that hear (qualification) in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets (see Hag. 1:6-11; 2:15-19), which were in the day (i.e. 2 years before [Hag. 1;14,15; 2:18. Cp. Ezra 5:1) that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built. (The many membered body of Christ, which of you are a part, continues to be built this day. It isn't a temple made of stone. It is a people that God can trust to accomplish His will.)
10 For before those days there was no wages for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction (confusion in religion nobody knew the truth except the elect): for I sent all men every one against his neighbor. (They say, "Peace, peace, peace", but there is no peace, only war. Why? God is in control, and He said so.)
11 But now (in contrast with the former) I will not be to the residue of this people as in the former days (this generation), says the LORD of hosts.
12 For the seed shall be prosperous (ref. Deut. 28:3-12); the vine shall give her fruit, and the earth shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew (ref. Lev. 26:4,20. Deut. 11:17. Cp. Pss. 67:6; 78:45; 85:12. Ezek. 34:27); and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. (You are over the peak, U.S. ripe for harvest.)
13 And it shall come to pass, that according as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel (All tribes, both houses, looking on to the future fulfillment, which rests on the condition of v.8); so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing (ref. Gen. 12:2): fear not, but let your hands be strong.' (At the end of this earth age. Be a doer)
14 For thus says the LORD of hosts; 'As I thought to bring calamity you, when your fathers provoked Me to wrath (in days of old), says the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:
15 So again have I thought in these days to do well to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah (applies to all people): fear you not. (Don't worry, for to worry is to doubt every promise of God.)
16 These are the things that you shall do; Speak you every man the truth to his neighbor (cp. v.19; 7:9); execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: (This Word, this heritage. Always be fair, in the courts and in your ways. Act like a child of God, not a hypocrite, others will see and begin to copy. You can't force anybody to do anything, all you can do is lead. Never argue in front of your children because you are their temple. Like Father like son/daughter, be like Him.)
17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath (ref. 6:3; 19:12): for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.' " (You are what you are. If its no good, git rid of it. If its good, hang on to it. See John 2:13-25. Father hates those who imagine evil in their hears, or minds. He doesn't approve of those who make false oaths. That isn't how friends deal with each other. Always remember, true friends speak truth. Truth always aligns with God's Word.)
18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
19 "Thus has said the LORD of hosts; 'The fast of the fourth month (the 9th of Tammuz, our June 28th [Jer. 52:6,7], when the city was broken up; hence called "the fourth fast"), and the fast of the fifth (on the 10th of Ab, our July 28th, when the Temple and the house were burnt [Jer. 52:12,13), and the fast of the seventh (the 3rd of Tisri, our Sept. 18th, when Gedalliah was slain by Ishmail, the son of Nethaniah [Jer. 40:8; 41:1-3, 15-18), and the fast of the tenth (the 10th of Tebeth, our Dec.-Jan., when the king of Babylon set his face against Jerusalem [Ezek. 24:1,2]), shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful appointed feasts (these fast were appointed by man. The Feasts were the "feasts of Yehovah" because appointed by Him. Ref. Lev. 23:2-44]. Cp. Zeph. 3:17); therefore love the truth and peace.'
V E1 20-22. E2 23. To Yahaveh's People
20 Thus says the LORD of hosts; 'It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities:
21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD (cp. Isa. 2:3. Mic. 4:2), and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.'
22 Yes, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
23 Thus says the LORD of hosts; 'In those days (final generation ""new world order") it shall come to pass (the fulfillment of this is still future), that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Judean (i.e. Kenite. See 9:6), saying, 'We will go with you (i.e. with God's People Israel): for we have heard that [will be the time that] God is with you.' ' "