What makes the people of God the people of God? Special qualities? Hardly: in this respect the Jewish people are like all others. Of course, they have their own national face, always and everywhere easily recognizable; but what people does not? Then perhaps a special destiny...
What makes the people of God the people of God? Special qualities? Hardly: in this respect the Jewish people are like all others. Of course, they have their own national face, always and everywhere easily recognizable; but what people does not? Then perhaps a special destiny? In a certain sense, yes: not every people can boast of such sharp turns in its history.
But all this is still a human matter. Who knows what twists history can produce when four millennia are involved. The presence of God among His people, however, is God's matter; it does not depend on people or on history. Though, of course, this independence is relative: preserving and guarding the presence of God is precisely a human task, entrusted to the people of God, who were called to bear witness to God dwelling among them. But then it is also true that the people of God remain such only as long as there is a place for God among them.
It is no accident that both the Torah and the prophets speak not so much of the people's ownership of the land God gave them as of their use of it, a use limited by the conditions of the covenant-union made with God. If the union is broken, a situation may quite well arise in which the people lose both their land and the Temple. But such a thing can become possible only in one case: if God leaves, if He abandons the land, the city, and the Temple that He once blessed and sanctified by His presence.
After that, the destruction of the city and the Temple and the desolation of the land become only the outward expression of this new spiritual condition, a kind of anti-witness, proof that, at least at this historical stage, the people did not manage to fulfill its spiritual task. But the return of the people to the land of their fathers, the restoration of the city and the Temple, mean precisely that, after repentance and a new turning, the people are again ready for the mission God has entrusted to them. And that means that a new stage begins in their historical destiny: a stage that leads them straight to the threshold of the New Covenant.
2 A vision signifying the prosperous state of Jerusalem, Zec 2:1-5.
An exhortation to the Jews, to hasten into their own land, Zec 2:6-9.
Encouragement to them that were returned, and advice to wait patiently for God, Zec 2:10-13.
2:1 With a line - Ready and prepared to lay out the platform of Jerusalem.
2:2 To measure - To take the exact dimensions of it, that it may answer God's promise, and be capable to receive its inhabitants.Jerusalem - The city which was to be built hereafter.
2:3 The angel - Christ, who had so long talked with Zechariah.Went forth - From the midst of the myrtle - trees.
2:4 And he said - Christ to that angel who came to meet him.Run - Hasten and tell Zechariah. As towns - The suburbs of it shall be as towns unwalled, for extent and for safety.
2:5 The glory - My presence and favour shall make her glorious.
2:6 Ho, ho - Ye sleepy Jews. Come forth - Come out from your prisons. Flee - Make all the haste you can.From the land - Babylon, which lay north of Canaan.For I have spread you abroad - As I executed my threats in scattering you, so I will perform my promise, and gather you.
2:7 Deliver thyself - Accept of thy deliverance.
2:8 After the glory - After that he is become your glory, I am to avenge you of your enemies.
2:9 Upon them - Against the nation that doth violence to my people.Unto their servants - Unto the Jews, who were first spoiled by, and then made servants to them. Hath sent me - To inform them of my father's will.
2:10 I come - To execute judgments on thine adversaries, and to compleat thy deliverance and salvation. I will dwell - This was fulfilled in part to the Jews, but more fully to the gospel church.
2:11 Shall be joined - Shall worship the God of Israel.In that day - When Christ shall come in the flesh, and take down the partition wall. Sent me - The Messiah.
2:12 Shall inherit - Claim, recover, possess, and delight in, as a man doth in his paternal inheritance.
2:13 Be silent - Reverence and adore God, and expect the accomplishment of his word. All flesh - Both Jew and Gentile.He is raised up - God is on this work already, and he will not sit down again, 'till he has accomplished his whole work.
3 Joshua accused, cleared, and clothed with clean and fair apparel, Zec 3:1-5.
A promise made to him, Zec 3:6-7.
A prophesy of Christ, the Branch, Zec 3:8-10.
3:1 And he - The Lord represented to me in a vision.Standing - Ministering in his office. The angel - Christ.
3:2 The Lord - Christ, as a mediator, rather chuses to rebuke him in his father's name, than in his own. Is not this - Joshua.
3:3 With filthy garments - The emblem of a poor or sinful state.The angel - Christ.
3:4 And he - Christ. Unto those - Ministerial angels.I have caused - What angels could not take away, Christ did; he removed the filth of sin, the guilt and stain of it.With change of raiment - Clean and rich, the emblem of holiness.
3:5 I said - Zechariah takes the boldness to desire that for Joshua, which might add to his authority, and he asks the thing of Christ. A fair mitre - The proper ornament for the head of the high - priest. With garments - All the garments which appertained to the high priest. The angel - Christ.
3:6 Protested - Solemnly declared.
3:7 My charge - The special charge and office of the high - priest.Judge - Be ruler in the temple, and in the things that pertain to the worship of God there. Keep - Not as a servant, but as the chief, on whom others wait, and at last thou shalt have place among my angels.
3:8 Thy fellows - Thy associates in the priestly office.That sit - As assessors in a council. Wondered at - The unbelieving Jews wonder at them; at their labour and expense in attempting to build such a house. Bring forth - God the Father will bring forth a much more wonderful work. The Branch - The Messiah.
3:9 Behold - Behold (pointing to a particular stone) that stone which I have laid in the sight of Joshua. Upon one stone - On that stone are seven eyes, probably so placed, that they may look many ways; so it was a more exact emblem of Christ, and of his perfect knowledge and wisdom.I have removed - I have pardoned the iniquity of this land at once.The temple, founded on such a corner - stone, guarded and watched over by all - seeing Providence, is the blessing and honour of that people, whose sins are all forgiven.
3:10 In that day - Of removing the sins of my people.Shall ye call - Ye shall invite one another to refresh yourselves with the sweet fruit of the vine and fig - tree. When iniquity is taken away, we receive precious benefits from our justification, more precious than the fruits of the vine or fig - tree. And we repose ourselves in sweet tranquillity, being quiet from the fear of evil.