Zechariah 8
(Vs. 16-17) "These are the things you are to do: speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord.
All God wants us to do is to be honest, to see that our government is honest and judges render verdicts that are according to the just laws; and our personal attitudes toward one another are to want to encourage each other, not to play "tricks" on one another or to enjoy "getting the best of" someone else, for humor or for profit.
The Jews have been exiled to Babylon for 70 years, and King Cyrus has allowed them to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Zechariah is in Babylon with the Jews, and He wants them to know how to conduct their lives as they return home, to the land God gave them.
(v. 13) "Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong."
God is encouraging them as they return to Jerusalem. Just as the name of the Jews has been used as a curse, or they have been considered cursed by God; so they will be cleansed and saved, and their reputation will be turned around, and they will be considered blessed by God, and their name used in blessings.
(vs. 4-6) "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there. It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to Me?"
It may seem to be a wondrous thing for people to live to a "ripe old age" instead of dying in their prime of life, and for children to be safe enough to be allowed to play in the city streets without fear of any harm. But God just considers it to be the norm, when people are following His ways in their thinking processes and in their actions.
People today sometimes do attain to an advanced old age, but our city streets are not safe for children to be able to openly, freely play outdoors, or even to walk alone to the neighborhood park, like I remember from my own childhood. The moral climate of our modern society has degraded significantly over the last generation or two, which has infected every layer and sector of our civilization.
As God's church, we need to wake up to how evil and wicked people have stolen our children's and grandchildren's carefree freedoms of childhood, and do what each of us can do to restore honor and honesty and kindness in our own families and in our society in which we live. To do what each of us can do to affect our political and governmental leaders to govern righteously with true justice and appropriate mercy; to encourage the populace to be responsible to take care of our own selves and families without depending on others for sustenance, and to do our businesses with integrity and equity. As well as urging our pastors and other church leaders to seriously consider our God of Truth, and study His Word humbly and honestly, to teach their congregations how to love God, and how to consider others' needs to help, not considering the cost (love one another).
Jesus is coming soon. Pray that God would return our Nations to His righteousness before the end comes.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
