Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

Zechariah 8

• “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
  ― Corrie ten Boom
• “The past is always tense, the future perfect.”
  ― Zadie Smith
• “The future is already gone, but the present is always here (a gift from your past future).”
  ― Barbara Grover

Jesus will return to earth and to Jerusalem after the pattern of Yom Kippur, the Day of Return (see verse 3).

The Autumn Jewish Feasts have a pattern of future events: First the Rapture and Resurrections of the Saints (Believers), then immediately afterwards, the Seven Year Tribulation, followed immediately by Jesus’ return to earth coming with the Saints to fight the enemies of the Jews, to save them from extinction, to judge the nations who fought against them, and to set up his 1,000 year kingdom in which He reigns on earth from Jerusalem.

For verses on each event see Topics:

1. Topic: Is the Rapture Real?
2. Topic: A Pre-Tribulation Rapture?
3. Topic: The Tribulation
4. Topic: The Return

Jerusalem, Holy City of the Future

Zechariah 8:¹ Again the word of the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’) came, saying, ² “Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’):

‘I am zealous (Or jealous) for Zion with great zeal (Or jealousy);
With great fervor (Lit. heat or rage) I am zealous for her.’

• Jesus returns with the Saints at the end of the seven day tribulation to save the remnant of Jews who have survived the attempted annihilation of the Jewish race by the reigning Antichrist.

• Anti not only means “against” but “in place of”. The Antichrist mimics Jesus but with an unholy twist.
• Jesus is the good Shepherd, the Antichrist is the worthless Shepherd.
• Jesus is the branch, the Antichrist is the abominable branch.
• Jesus returns to fight the nations who are against Jerusalem and to set up his kingdom on earth.

• This is illustrated by Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue when the rock smashes the feet of the statue (all the nations); the nations are blown like chaff into the wind. The rock (symbolizing Jesus) grows into a mountain (kingdom) and covers the earth.

Zechariah 8:³ “Thus says the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ):

‘I will return to Zion,
And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth,
The Mountain (kingdom) of the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’),
The Holy Mountain.’

Zechariah 8:⁴ “Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’):

‘Old men and old women shall again sit
In the streets of Jerusalem,
Each one with his staff in his hand
Because of great age (Lit. many days).

Zechariah 8:⁵ The streets of the city
Shall be full of boys and girls
Playing in its streets.’

Zechariah 8:⁶ “Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’):

‘If it is marvelous (Or wonderful/miraculous) in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days,
Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’
Says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’).

Zechariah 8:⁷ “Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’):

‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east (Lit. rising sun) and from the land of the west (Lit. setting sun);

• Jesus, like the sun, first goes down into the earth before He became the Rising Son.

Zechariah 8:⁸ I will bring them back,
And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
They shall be My people
And I will be their God (‘ĕlōhîm),
In truth and righteousness.’

Zechariah 8:⁹ “Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’):

‘Let your hands be strong,
You who have been hearing in these days
These words by the mouth of the prophets,
Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid
For the house of the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’),
That the temple might be built.

Zechariah 8:¹⁰ For before these days (during the seven year tribulation)
There were no wages for man nor any hire for beast;
There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in;
For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor.

Zechariah 8:¹¹ But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’).

Zechariah 8:¹² ‘For the seed (Lit. seed of peace) shall be prosperous,
The vine shall give its fruit,
The ground shall give her increase,
And the heavens shall give their dew—
I will cause the remnant of this people
To possess all these.

Zechariah 8:¹³ And it shall come to pass
That just as you were a curse among the nations,
O house of Judah and house of Israel,
So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.
Do not fear,
Let your hands be strong.’

Zechariah 8:¹⁴ “For thus says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’):

‘Just as I determined to punish (Lit. bring calamity to you) you
When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’
Says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’),
‘And I would not relent,

Zechariah 8:¹⁵ So again in these days
I am determined to do good
To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
Do not fear.

Zechariah 8:¹⁶ These are the things you shall do:
Speak each man the truth to his neighbor;
Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;

Zechariah 8:¹⁷ Let none of you think evil in your heart (Lit. his) against your neighbor;
And do not love a false oath.
For all these are things that I hate,’
Says the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ).”

Zechariah 8:¹⁸ Then the word of the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’) came to me, saying,

Zechariah 8:¹⁹ “Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’):

‘The fast of the fourth month,
The fast of the fifth,
The fast of the seventh,
And the fast of the tenth,

• A fast is for an event which has stricken the Jews and Jerusalem.

Adam Clarke Commentary:

• The fast of the fourth month – To commemorate the taking of Jerusalem; 2 Kings 25:3; Jeremiah 39:2; Jeremiah 52:6-7.
• The fast of the fifth — In memory of the ruin of the temple, 2 Kings 25:8; Jeremiah 52:12-13.
• The fast of the seventh — For the murder of Gedaliah, Jeremiah 41:1-17.
• The fast of the tenth — In commemoration of the siege of Jerusalem, which began on the tenth day of the tenth month; 2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 52:4; Ezekiel 24:1-2; and see on Zechariah 7:3; Zechariah 7:5.

• Sadness is turning to joy:
• Instead of fasting there will be joy.

Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts
For the house of Judah.
Therefore love truth and peace.’

Adam Clarke Commentary:

• Cheerful feasts — Ye shall find all your evils so completely redressed, that these mournful fasts shall be turned into joyful feasts.

Zechariah 8:²⁰ “Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’):

‘Peoples shall yet come,
Inhabitants of many cities;

Zechariah 8:²¹ The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,
“Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ),
And seek the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’).
I myself will go also.”

Zechariah 8:²² Yes, many peoples and strong nations
Shall come to seek the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’) in Jerusalem,
And to pray before the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ).’

Zechariah 8:²³ “Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yᵊhōvâ ṣāḇā’): ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve (Lit. wing, corner of a garment) of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God (‘ĕlōhîm) is with you.” ’ ”

• Speculations and Questions:
• Will the Antichrist, in his global agenda, have reassigned the nations such that there are only ten nations in the world with one representative for each reporting to the Antichrist?
• Since there are ten horns (powers/leaders) who give their power to the Antichrist, would these ten be the representatives?
• OR
• Will there simply be ten men representing each language/nation?

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• The Jews will be elevated in their position to act as priests to serve Jesus in Jerusalem and the Gentile nations. All the promises to the Jews will be fulfilled.

God (‘ĕlōhîm) is With You, In You, and For You.