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"16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord. 18 The word of the Lord Almighty came to me. 19 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.” 20 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, 21 and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ 22 And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.” 23 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'" ~ Zechariah 8:16-23
We are justified in the sight of God only through the perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Justification is a one time event in the life of the believer. In fact, after being justified by Christ, the believer becomes "Born Again" because the Holy Spirit has moved in and awakened the believer's spirit to God.
On the heels of believing in Christ, the believer enters into Sanctification which is different than Justification. Whereas Justification is a one time event, Sanctification is a process whereby God is inculcating His culture into our being. This is what God is doing in today's text, He is teaching the children of Israel about His culture His way of thinking and living.
A careful study of Old Testament history reveals Israel got caught in a cycle of their own sin. This process can be seen in the book of Judges. Once Joshua died, and every man did what was right in his own eyes, they started going through this cycle of sin. The first stage marked the people's rebellion against God. They did not want God to rule over them. So, God brought them into the second stage whereby He allowed their enemies to rule over them. The third stage started when they cried out to the Lord for help. It was at that point that they entered fourth stage when God sent them a deliverer who was used of God to bring them back to Him.
In v.16-17 of today's text we read, ""16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord."
Here, God gave to Israel His culture. Through this teaching, God reminded the people of Israel to speak the truth, to be honestly just, to not deliberately hurt one another, and to not lie about one another. These four rather easy disciplines bring the culture of God to bear on any group of people.
In v.18-19 of today's text we read, "18 The word of the Lord Almighty came to me. 19 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace."
As we have pointed out before, these four fasts were all added by the people, they were not prescribed by the Lord. But, notice what God says here, "(They) will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah."
The fourth month fast reminded Israel of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The fast of the fifth month was the fast that reminded the destruction of the temple. The fast of the seventh month reminded Israel of the murder of Gedaliah who was the governor at that time. And the fast of the tenth month reminded Israel of the mourning for the day the final siege of Jerusalem. All these fasts rendered much weeping and mourning. And, God is saying here, "All things work together for the good of those who are learning to give their hearts to the Lord and are the called according to His purposes."
In v.20-22 of today's text we read, "20 This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, 21 and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ 22 And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.'"
The context of these verses will be the Millennium. After the Tribulation will be over, people all over the world will come to the Lord Jesus as He will sit on His throne in Jerusalem. The pilgrimages are going to come from every corner of the globe. The whole world, at that time, will seek the Lord.
In v.23 of today's text we read, "This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you."
When this verse was written, the Jews were highly despised. In that day, this prediction was looked upon as most improbable. The idea that the Jews would be so elevated that people all over the world would want to be in their presence because God will be with them was unheard of at that time. But, in the future, in the Millennium, God promises Israel will be the center of the world.
And, notice the word "ten" used here in this verse. "In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'"
You will remember that the number ten represents completeness. The whole world will ardently seek out the influence of the Jews because they will embrace God's culture. But, there will be some conditions. The four things mentioned in v.16-17 of today's text, honesty, justice, love, and trust, will be the means by which the world will be drawn to Israel. This will be the reason their culture will be so inviting because to those who have it not, it will be golden.
