God's Promises for Jerusalem
Study note
God declares His deep love for Zion and promises to come back and live in Jerusalem. The city will be called 'the City of Truth' and 'the Holy Mountain.' A beautiful picture of peace is painted: old men and women will sit in the streets, and boys and girls will play safely. God will bring His scattered people home from countries to the east and west. This may seem impossible to the people, but nothing is impossible for God.
1 The LORD of Armies sent me another message. Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
2 "The LORD of Armies says: 'My love for Zion burns with fierce intensity. My passion for her blazes like a fire.'" Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.
3 "The LORD says: 'I am coming back to Zion and will settle down in Jerusalem. Jerusalem will earn the name City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Armies will be known as the Holy Mountain.'" Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
4 "The LORD of Armies says this. 'Old men and women will sit in Jerusalem's streets once more. Each one will lean on a cane. They will have lived so many years.'" Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
5 "'And the city streets will be packed with boys and girls playing and laughing.'" And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
6 "The LORD of Armies says: 'This might seem impossible to the small group of survivors still here — but does that mean it is impossible for me?' asks the LORD of Armies." Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.
7 "The LORD of Armies says: 'I am going to rescue my people from countries to the east and to the west.'" Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;
8 "'I will bring them home, and they will settle in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God — completely faithful and true to them.'" 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.
Be Strong and Do Not Fear
Study note
God encourages the people who are rebuilding the temple. Before they started building, times were hard and dangerous. But now God promises a new era of blessing. Seeds will grow, vines will produce fruit, and the sky will give rain. God tells them to be strong and not afraid. He asks them to do simple but important things: speak the truth, judge fairly, and do not plan evil against each other.
9 "The LORD of Armies says this. 'Be strong and brave. You hear the prophets' words today. These same prophets were there when the temple base was laid.'" Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
10 "'Before that day, workers and animals earned nothing for their labor. Nobody could go about their business safely because enemies were everywhere. I had set everyone against each other.'" For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.
11 "'But things are different now for the survivors of this people. I will not treat them the way I did before,' says the LORD of Armies." But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts.
12 "'From now on, the seeds you plant will thrive. Your vines will produce fruit. The soil will yield crops, and the sky will release its dew. I am giving all these blessings to the people who survived.'" For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
13 "'People of Judah and Israel — the nations used to use your name as a curse word. But now I am rescuing you, and your name will become a blessing instead. Don't be afraid! Be brave and strong!'" And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
14 "The LORD of Armies says: 'When your ancestors provoked my anger, I made up my mind to punish you — and I did not back down.'" For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:
15 "'But now I have made up my mind to do wonderful things for Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don't be afraid!'" So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
16 "'Here is what I need you to do: Always tell each other the truth. Make fair, honest, and decisions in your courts.'" These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
17 "'Do not scheme against each other. Do not fall in love with making false promises. I hate every one of those things,' the LORD says." And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
Fasting Will Turn to Feasting
Study note
God finally answers the question about fasting from chapter seven. The fasts the people kept during the exile will become joyful celebrations and happy feasts. God also promises that people from many nations and languages will come to worship Him. They will grab hold of a Jewish person and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.' This points to the spread of God's truth to all nations.
18 The LORD of Armies sent me yet another message. And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying,
19 "The LORD of Armies says: 'Those fasts you observe in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become joyful celebrations for Judah! They will be happy, cheerful festivals! So love truth and love peace.'" Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.
20 "The LORD of Armies says: 'People from many cities will still come to Jerusalem.'" Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:
21 "'People from one city will go to the next and say, "Come on — let us go pray to the LORD and look for the LORD of Armies! We are going right now!"'" And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.
22 "'Whole nations — powerful ones — will travel to Jerusalem to seek the LORD of Armies and to pray to the LORD.'" Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
23 "The LORD of Armies says: 'In those days, ten people from ten different nations speaking ten different languages will grab one Jewish person by the sleeve. They will say, "Please, let us come with you. We have heard that God is with you."'" Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, 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 Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.