seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Zechariah 2:1
[a]Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?”
He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.”
3 While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. 5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.’
6 “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the Lord.
7 “Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” 8 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye— 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them.[b] Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.
10 “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”
a. Zechariah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:5-17.
b. Zechariah 2:9 Or says after … eye: 9 “I … plunder them."
Hey look..... Blueletterbible.org popped up this morning!
Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls … For I … will be a wall of fire all around her: God promises to bring so many people to Jerusalem that the crowds will overflow the walls of the city - but that won't matter because God will be their protection, not walls. He will be a wall of fire all around her.
This prophecy had a short-term fulfillment in God's protection of the rebuilding, and blessing of the city under Ezra and Nehemiah; but clearly, its ultimate fulfillment is rebuilding under the rule of the Messiah.
Today Jerusalem is indeed a city without walls, because in modern warfare they are useless in defending the city. Ultimately Jerusalem will be a city without walls because the prince of peace will reign from Jerusalem and He will be her protection.
Flee from the land of the north: In Zechariah's day few of those who were carried to captivity in the Babylonian Empire returned to the Promised Land when they were allowed to. Here the LORD exhorts His people to return back to their land.
Sadly most of the exiles were comfortable in Babylon and refused to endure the challenge to build a work of God.
Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon: Throughout the Bible Babylon is used as an idea as well as a city. If Jerusalem carried the idea of "God's city" then Babylon carries the idea of the city of the world. Zechariah's call to come out of Babylon is both literal and figurative (Revelation 18:4-5).
He who touches you touches the apple of His eye: The phrase "apple of His eye" was used to describe something precious, easily injured and demanding protection.
"He esteems them as much as men value their eyesight, and is as careful to protect them from injury, as men are to protect the apple of their eye. The pupil of the eye is the tenderest part of the tenderest organ, and very fitly sets forth the inexpressible tenderness of God's love." (Spurgeon)
They shall become spoil for their servants: God promises that those who enslaved the people of God will become spoil for them - the enslavers will become enslaved. This will be ultimately fulfilled in the millennial reign of Jesus.
I will shake My hand against them: All God needs to do to bring such a dramatic reversal of standing is to shake his hand against the enemies of His people.
Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: God doesn't expect His people to be passive or "cool" in view of such dramatic promises. He expects them to sing and rejoice.
I am coming and will dwell in your midst: The first reason why God's people should be excited is because He will be among them in a unique and powerful way.
Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day: The second reason for joy is that God will bring many into His Kingdom. God's desire to bless for Israel was never intended to stop with Israel, but to use them as a channel of blessing for many nations.
In the Holy Land: This is the only place where the phrase Holy Land is used in the Bible. The land is holy because it is separated unto God in a unique way. Some assume that it is only the people of Judah and Jerusalem that are God's holy inheritance but passages like this show that land itself is holy and precious to God.
Yesterday I threw a temper tantrum. I was crocheting a shirt for a doll I am making and the pattern was obviously wrong.... dead wrong. I was so frustrated I slung it into the wall..... but it was yarn..... and it just kind of fluttered, flopped slightly against the wall and then slid silently to the floor.... it was so unsatisfying....... I still had the hook in my hand so I slammed it into the storage drawer where I keep it when it's not in use..... but it didn't satisfy me either.... then I picked up the yarn and the doll and stomped into my room where I keep these projects and slammed the whole mess into the yarn bin.... and it fell silently into the yarn..... it was so unbelievably unsatisfying. I was having a temper tantrum..... but having a temper tantrum slamming yarn.... well it's a total waste of time!!!!
I can just imagine what I would say if my family was to come to me and tell me I had to move back to a place my parents lived to rebuild a town I didn't know anything about. I can say..... I might have said "Oh who are you kidding? I'm happy right here". Those people who did decide to go back to Jerusalem were brave people who loved the Lord. If they didn't love the Lord.... they would have forgotten the town in Judah ... just as I have forgotten that place my parents lived before I was born.... [Naval Housing Norfolk]. My dad told me who God is. My dad made sure I knew. That's the kind of family these people who returned to Jerusalem, Judah..... were really God's children.... all those who stayed behind for the temporary comfort their enslavement afforded them..... they were only thinking of themselves.
One more thing about the people in this city.... they really weren't going to see a wall of fire forever and ever..... that would be H-E-double-hockey-sticks..... no..... according to the commentaries..... this "wall of fire" is like the tornado that led Moses and the gang. It will look like smoke during the day and glow like fire at night..... that's God's protection.... always on.... always working.... always showing the way...... God's protection. Besides.... I already read there will be a massive earthquake that will rock the whole world..... I see this as something like the geysers out in the Grand Canyon..... perfectly natural.....
So.... I'm sure the people in Assyria, Babylon, Greece and Rome thought they were big stuff beating up on Israel and Judah...... But God says He's not done.... He says "mess with my people.... there won't be anything left of you.... your slaves can have all your pretty baubles and shiny coins..... you won't need them where you are going.... " God will know which of us will be protected. He won't leave one... not a single one.... of His kids in harms way on "that day". He'll protect us..... like a big wall of fire....
As I read this this morning.... I was thinking..... dealing with stupid humans must be like having a temper tantrum with yarn.
