Small, poor Jerusalem on its ridge at dawn seen from the east, the plain second temple going up on the height with a thread of smoke rising from its altar, under a calm, empty pale sky.

Fasts to feasts

Zechariah 8

A small, poor city in 518 BC. What have you decided is impossible that God has not?

23 verses≈ 5 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1:1–6Return to MeA call to turn, in Darius’s second year
1:7–6:8Eight night visionsHorses, horns, a lampstand, a scroll, a basket, chariots
6:9–15The Branch crownedA crown for Joshua, and the Branch who builds
7–8Fasts to feastsJustice and mercy, and joy in ZionChapter 8
9–11Your King comesThe King on a donkey, and the Shepherd rejected
12–14On that dayThe pierced One, the fountain, the LORD King

The Restoration of Jerusalem

God

Again the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I am jealous for Zion with great zeal; I am jealous for her with great fervor.”

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God

Early morning in a narrow stony lane of small Jerusalem: rough stone and mud-brick houses climb toward the temple height, doors open, a woman carries a water jar and a man with tools heads up to the building work.

This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.”

God

God

This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Old men and old women will again sit along the streets of Jerusalem, each with a staff in hand because of great age. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

God

God

This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west. I will bring them back to dwell in Jerusalem, where they will be My people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God.”

Question

Quick question

Think back over verses 4 and 5 before you answer.

Who fills Jerusalem’s streets in 8:4–5?

God

This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD of Hosts.

God

For before those days neither man nor beast received wages, nor was there safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I had turned every man against his neighbor. But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

God

First light on a terraced Judean vineyard heavy with dark grapes, dew beaded on every leaf, a strip of ripe barley on the terrace below, the sun not yet up.

“For the seed will be prosperous, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will yield its produce, and the skies will give their dew. To the remnant of this people I will give all these things as an inheritance.

God

For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Just as I resolved to bring disaster upon you when your fathers provoked Me to anger, and I did not relent,” says the LORD of Hosts, “so now I have resolved to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid.

God

These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, render true and sound judgments in your gates, do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.

God

A bright day in the crowded court before the finished second temple: priests in white linen, Levites in undyed linen and the returned families, children on their fathers' shoulders, lift their hands, singing and rejoicing, smoke rising from the altar of rough stones.

Then the word of the LORD of Hosts came to me, saying, “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore you are to love both truth and peace.”

One question, four answers

Whiteboard

The question was about a fast. God answered with His heart, His people’s hearts, and a feast for the nations.

God

Morning on a road between two hill towns: a traveler with a staff points ahead toward a far hill topped by the temple, others with bundles and a donkey turn to follow, and a second group comes down from the other town.

This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities— and the residents of one city will go to another, saying: ‘Let us go at once to plead before the LORD and to seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’

God

And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.”

God

Close, from behind: a Judean man in a plain brown wool cloak walks up a stony path toward the temple height, and several hands in the sleeves of different peoples hold tight to the hem of his cloak, their faces out of frame.

This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will tightly grasp the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

0:13

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pray

LORD of Hosts, nothing You promise is too hard for You. Turn my grief into gladness, and let my life make others say, ‘Let us go with you, for God is with you.’ Amen.

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Zechariah 8

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Zechariah 8:23

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