Reflections on Zechariah 2

 Zechariah 02  (Contemporary English Version)

1. This time I saw someone holding a measuring line,
   
2. and I asked, "Where are you going?" "To measure Jerusalem," was the answer. "To find out how wide and long it is."
   
3. The angel who had spoken to me was leaving, when another angel came up to him
   
4. and said, "Hurry! Tell that man with the measuring line that Jerusalem won't have any boundaries. It will be too full of people and animals even to have a wall.
   
5. The LORD himself has promised to be a protective wall of fire surrounding Jerusalem, and he will be its shining glory in the heart of the city."
   
6. The LORD says to his people, "Run! Escape from the land in the north, where I scattered you to the four winds.
   
7. Leave Babylonia and hurry back to Zion."
   
8. Then the glorious LORD All-Powerful ordered me to say to the nations that had raided and robbed Zion: Zion is as precious to the LORD as are his eyes. Whatever you do to Zion, you do to him.
   
9. And so, he will put you in the power of your slaves, and they will raid and rob you. Then you will know that I am a prophet of the LORD All-Powerful.
   
10. City of Zion, sing and celebrate! The LORD has promised to come and live with you.
    
11. When he does, many nations will turn to him and become his people. At that time you will know that I am a prophet of the LORD All-Powerful.
    
12. Then Judah will be his part of the holy land, and Jerusalem will again be his chosen city.
    
13. Everyone, be silent! The LORD is present and moving about in his holy place.

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God's role for Zechariah was to give those returning to Jerusalem hope for the future, encouraging them to rebuild. This He did by giving Zechariah a series of visions of the future. The first two of these visions are recorded in chapter one. The first was of a man on a red horse standing in the myrtle trees. Zechariah's message for Israel from this vision was that although the Lord had been angry with Israel and punished the nation, the Lord had returned to Jerusalem and His temple would be rebuilt and Israel would again prosper. In the second vision Zechariah saw four horns and four craftsmen and was given the message that the nations that scattered Judah and Israel would be dealt with.

Now, in chapter two, Zechariah is given a third vision. In it, a surveyor was measuring Jerusalem, and the message of the vision was that, "Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the number of people and livestock in it." And furthermore, the Lord, "will be a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory within it." The message that renewed prosperity was coming to Israel was continued in this third vision. Through the measuring of the city Israel was told that the current dimensions of Jerusalem would not hold the number of people that would eventually inhabit the city. Nor would walls be necessary around the city, for the Lord would be as a wall of fire around it and the glory within it. Their safety was guaranteed.

In verses 6-8 the Lord's message to Israel through the first three visions is given more detail. The Israelite exiles still living in Babylon were encouraged to "Leave the land of the north," and return to Jerusalem. 70 years had passed since the Israelites had been captured and marched as prisoners to Babylon. Any who might still be living who had been among those prisoners would be too old to consider a return to Jerusalem. This message was to those Israelites who had been born in Babylon. They were being encouraged to leave the only home they had known and return to a place that was in ruins and had no military security. The Lord was assuring them that He was guaranteeing their safety for He was about to deal with those nations who were a threat to them. Furthermore, the Lord conveyed to them how important they were to Him. As important as "the pupil of His eye."

The joy and blessings of the Lord for those who chose to follow Him did not lie in Babylon but in Jerusalem. If the wanted what the Lord offered they needed to get up and leave Babylon and go to Jerusalem. This is a message that we need to grasp still today. The blessings of the Lord cannot be enjoyed unless we relocate, leaving the place where we have been and going to the place the Lord has for us. For the Israelites it involved a geographical relocation. For us its primary message is that we cannot remain as we were before following the Lord if we want to enjoy the life He offers. Our life must change and take on the life that He has for us. It is accepting a whole new way of life.

The final verses of chapter two (10-13) tell of a wonderful time of joy and gladness when the Lord would take possession of Judah and Judah would be joined by many other nations who would also turn to the Lord. Though life as God's possession is not described, it is clear that it is a life to be desired, that no other way of life matches up to it.

As with most of the books of prophecy, the message moves back and forth between the present, the near future, and the far future. Often it is difficult to determine what is intended to be near future and what is far future. But with our perspective of over 2,000 years of history since this prophecy was recorded we realize that the message of verses 10-13 has not yet taken place and we must conclude that it is yet future.