This chapter is a continuation of the previous one in relation to the question those Jews who were still living in Babylon had concerning fasting, Zechariah 7:1-3.
There were many Jews now living in Palestine, and when they recognised that many other Jews were still living in Babylon because they didn’t want to return, those living in Palestine were becoming discouraged. As a result of this, and a drought, Haggai 1:11, there was a lot of tension between the two groups of Jews.
The message Zechariah received from the Lord is a message of hope for both those who were now in Palestine and those who were still living in Babylon. God hadn’t forgotten about people who were still living in Babylon, even though he was the One who scattered them throughout different nations because of their disobedience.
God worked in and through those other nations in order that those who were scattered might return to the land. Note that Zechariah uses the term ‘LORD Almighty’ nineteen times in this chapter. In Hebrew, this is El Shaddai, meaning the all-sufficient one.
The word ‘jealous’, Zechariah 8:1-2, used here, means an intense, righteous emotion, used in the positive sense, Exodus 20:5 / Deuteronomy 5:9. God promises to return to Zion and Jerusalem, Zechariah 8:3.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The punishment of Israel, God’s unfaithful wife (an analogy used throughout the Bible) being completed, God promised here to return to Zion and Jerusalem. Note that ‘Zion’ was used a second time in order to emphasize what part of Israel is the subject here. The ultimate fulfilment of this glorious promise occurred when the gospel was sent forth to all nations, ‘beginning at Jerusalem’, Luke 24:47.’
As a result of God’s presence, the city will be transformed into a place of ‘faithfulness’ or ‘truth’, Zechariah 8:4, as some translations have it, and ‘holiness’. The fulfilment of this would happen in Jerusalem, just as Jesus said, Luke 24:47 / 2 Corinthians 3:18.
God says that ‘men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem’, Zechariah 8:4. In other words, the people could return and grow old there in safety because there will be no more captivity, Isaiah 65:20.
Keil, in his commentary, says the following.
‘From Isaiah 65:20, we see that extreme old age also belongs to the times of Messiah; and as Israel always suffered extensively from wars, etc., during the times from Zechariah to Christ, it must be admitted that the prophecy received only a meagre fulfilment before the coming of Christ.’
The ‘streets will be filled with boys and girls’, Zechariah 8:5. In other words, the land was now a place where they could raise their families and carry on with normal life. This is a picture of normal life being restored.
The picture of a safe and prosperous Jerusalem, where God would once again dwell, may well have seemed like a fantasy to the ‘remnant’, Zechariah 8:6, that is, those still living in Babylon, that is ‘marvellous’, Zechariah 8:6, but it wasn’t a fantasy in God’s eyes. It was the reality, and nothing is impossible for Him to achieve, Jeremiah 32:27 / Matthew 19:26.
Those still living in the scattered lands needed to understand that God restoring the land was God’s doing, Isaiah 43:5-6 / Matthew 8:11-12. He wanted to save them, Zechariah 8:7, and for Him to do that, they needed to return to Palestine to repopulate the land so that He could re-establish His people as Israel so that the promises to the fathers could be fulfilled.
They will be God’s people, Zechariah 8:8 / Jeremiah 24:7 / Jeremiah 30:22 / Jeremiah 31:33, and God will be faithful and righteous to them, Zechariah 8:8 / Isaiah 48:1 / Jeremiah 4:2. God won’t give up on them and treat them right.
Leupold, in his commentary, says the following concerning Zechariah 8:8.
‘This verse teaches, ‘That a people will, indeed, be gathered unto God, but they must neither of necessity be of the race of Jews, nor will they all dwell in Jerusalem.’
God says, ‘let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built’, twice in these verses, Zechariah 8:9. God said it and His prophets said it. In other words, they needed to keep working despite being discouraged by the Samaritans, Ezra 4:4 / Nehemiah 4:7-11.
They need to understand that God was working in and through them, not just to complete the building of the temple but to fulfil God’s eternal plans for them, Haggai 2:15-19.
The prophets who were present at this time would be Zechariah himself and Haggai. We must remember that the foundation was set for the temple more than fifteen years ago at this point in time.
However, even though they had a lack of resources, that is, ‘no wages for people or hire for animals’, Zechariah 8:10, even though they faced opposition, that is, there was ‘no peace’, God wanted to find the strength to keep going.
God promises to deal with the remnant differently from the way He dealt with them in the past, Zechariah 8:11. In the past, that is, in the days before their captivity, God disciplined His people through famines and pestilence because of their idolatry. He brought tragedy to the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel in order that they would repent, Jeremiah 44:22-23.
In the past, God allowed His people to go through periods of real hardship, but He wasn’t going to let them go on forever. Now that they had repented and returned to the land, God would no longer curse them but bless all that they do.
He was going to richly bless them again; they would prosper in their labours in their fields, Zechariah 8:12 / Leviticus 26:4 / Leviticus 26:20. As they were being blessed again, they in turn would bless those around them, Zechariah 8:13 / Genesis 12:2 / Genesis 28:4 / Romans 9:5.
God wanted them to trust in His promise of blessing, He didn’t want them to be afraid, Zechariah 8:13 / Luke 2:10, but let the promise encourage them to keep working in the rebuilding of the temple.
God punished their ancestors, Zechariah 7:9-10, because they had degenerated into a society of injustice and oppression among themselves, Zechariah 8:14 / Jeremiah 4:28.
However, God promised that He would bless them by restoring justice and mercy, Jeremiah 18:7-10. If God’s people are obedient to Him, then He promises to bless His people, Zechariah 8:15, instead of cursing them, Zechariah 8:13 / Deuteronomy 28:1-2 / Deuteronomy 28:15.
In order to show their gratefulness to God, there were certain things they had to practice. Firstly, speaking truth to each other, Zechariah 8:16 / Ephesians 4:25, and in the courtrooms, Zechariah 8:16 / Zechariah 7:9.
Secondly, they were to stop plotting evil against each other, Zechariah 8:17 / Zechariah 7:10, and swearing falsely, Zechariah 8:17 / Matthew 5:34 / Matthew 5:35. God hates all of these practices, Zechariah 8:17, because they are against His Holy nature.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘No factor of the divine providence is any more ignored or denied than is this one. All of God’s promises, either for destruction or for blessing, are contingent, always, invariably, and eternally contingent upon the status of the recipient with regard to the fact of whether or not he is obedient to the Lord. There are no preferred classes where this rule is suspended, not even for those who say they ‘believe’ but do not obey the teachings of the Lord. The purpose of these verses is to show that obedience will be the primary condition in the establishment of the New Covenant.’
God now brings to an end the discussion concerning fasting, Zechariah 7:2-3. He tells them to stop the fasting that God didn’t command, and their fasting should now be a joyous occasion, Zechariah 8:18-19, because of what God was doing among them.
Morgan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘None of these things had been in the purpose of God for His people; they had resulted from their sins. The fasts, therefore, were the result of their sins. In jealousy and fury, the outcome of love, Jehovah would put away their sins and so restore them to true prosperity. In that day, let them still remember and observe, only let the observance be a feast in celebration of God’s grace, instead of a fast in memory of their sin.’
Because God promised to bless them, He wants them to be more loving in ‘truth and peace’, Zechariah 8:19. Because of what God is going to do and because of such a joyous occasion, many people will want to partake in the joy, many will come to the Lord in the future, Zechariah 8:20-22 / Matthew 19:28. This is speaking of the time when Christ shall reign, Matthew 28:18-20.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The gathering in of the nations was never adequately fulfilled in regard to Jerusalem or the Temple then approaching completion, but the prophecy foretells most strikingly the success of the kingdom of Christ. It was the dream of all Hebrew prophecy.’
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The literal fulfilment of this prophecy (centring the kingdom of God in literal Jerusalem) is not to be looked for. This declares the future conversion of the Gentiles, and their being made one with Israel in the Church of Christ, ‘one-fold under one Shepherd’, John 10:16.’
Notice that God says that ‘ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew,’ Zechariah 8:23. The number ten is a perfect number following the Hebrew usage of numbers, standing for an infinitely greater number from all the nations, that is, the Gentiles of the world, Revelation 17:12-14.
The words, ‘firm hold’, Zechariah 8:23, imply that it’s something which you mustn’t let go of, Exodus 4:4 / 1 Samuel 17:35. Christians need to learn how to be joyful because of what God has done and is doing in their lives, Philippians 4:4 / 1 Peter 3:15. When Christians are full of joy, this will attract other people around them to find the reason for their joy, Colossians 1:27 / 2 Corinthians 4:15.