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ZEC H A RI A H 9
a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
says: You can be sure that I will rescue my
people from the east and from the west. 8 I will
bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God.
9 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
says: Be strong and finish the task! Ever since
the laying of the foundation of the Temple of
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard
what the prophets have been saying about
completing the building. 10 Before the work on
the Temple began, there were no jobs and no
money to hire people or animals. No traveler
was safe from the enemy, for there were enemies on all sides. I had turned everyone against
each other.
11 “But now I will not treat the remnant of my
people as I treated them before, says the Lord
of Heaven’s Armies. 12 For I am planting seeds of
peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines
will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce
its crops, and the heavens will release the dew.
Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah
and Israel to inherit these blessings. 13 Among
the other nations, Judah and Israel became
symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now
I will rescue you and make you both a symbol
and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be
strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!
14 “For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s
Armies says: I was determined to punish you
when your ancestors angered me, and I did not
change my mind, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 15 But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid.
16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to
each other. Render verdicts in your courts that
are just and that lead to peace. 17 Don’t scheme
against each other. Stop your love of telling lies
that you swear are the truth. I hate all these
things, says the Lord.”
18 Here is another message that came to me
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from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 19 “This is
what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have
kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn,
and winter* are now ended. They will become
festivals of joy and celebration for the people of
Judah. So love truth and peace.
20 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
says: People from nations and cities around
the world will travel to Jerusalem. 21 The people
of one city will say to the people of another,
‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the Lord to
bless us. Let’s worship the Lord of Heaven’s
Armies. I’m determined to go.’ 22 Many peoples
and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem
to seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask
for his blessing.
23 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
says: In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at
the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please
let us walk with you, for we have heard that God
is with you.’”
Judgment against Israel’s Enemies
This is the message* from the Lord against
the land of Aram* and the city of Damascus, for the eyes of humanity, including all the
tribes of Israel, are on the Lord.
9
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3
4
5
6
• Fairness
Z E CH A R IA H 8 :1 6
When we cheat people, we wrong them
in at least two ways. First, we fail to give
them what is rightfully theirs. Second, we
devalue them as people. We are saying,
“I am more important than you, so it’s
all right for me to take what is yours.”
When we see other people as valuable,
it follows that we will treat them fairly.
7
Doom is certain for Hamath,
near Damascus,
and for the cities of Tyre and Sidon,
though they are so clever.
Tyre has built a strong fortress
and has made silver and gold
as plentiful as dust in the streets!
But now the Lord will strip away Tyre’s
possessions
and hurl its fortifications into the sea,
and it will be burned to the ground.
The city of Ashkelon will see Tyre fall
and will be filled with fear.
Gaza will shake with terror,
as will Ekron, for their hopes will be
dashed.
Gaza’s king will be killed,
and Ashkelon will be deserted.
Foreigners will occupy the city of Ashdod.
I will destroy the pride of the Philistines.
I will grab the bloody meat from their
mouths
and snatch the detestable sacrifices from
their teeth.
Then the surviving Philistines will worship
our God
8:19 Hebrew in the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months.
The fourth month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar
usually occurs within the months of June and July. The fifth
month usually occurs within the months of July and August.
The seventh month usually occurs within the months of
September and October. The tenth month usually occurs
within the months of December and January. 9:1a Hebrew
An Oracle: The message. 9:1b Hebrew land of Hadrach.