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.

What the prophet Zechariah is talking about here? God chose for Himself a holy habitation - the temple of Jerusalem. There, in the very inside of the place, "Holy of Holies", where is kept the holiness of the Old Testament, the hidden presence of God. Such was the case, before the cup of the sins of Israel got overfilled. God then left His temple; Jerusalem was destroyed, Israeli people taken to the Babylonian captivity.

But here is, the prophet sees a new picture. God returns, He visits again His habitation and calls His people. And there are no human strengths capable of resisting His will for the salvation of Israel and their return on His land. But there is another sense in these words. God will come into this world and will settle down in the middle of His people and will open His face - and what can then say man before God's face? Questions, complaints, justifications - everything will turn out worthless. Only meeting face to face will have an importance.

What makes the people of God to be people of God? Special qualities? Hardly: the Jewish people in this respect are similar to all the others. It has certainly its own national identity, easy to recognize always and everywhere; but which people does not have it? Then maybe a special fate? In a sense, yes: not every people can boast of such reversals in their history. But it is all the same a human affair: you never can tell of which new developments can emit the history, when it is about four millenniums. And here is, God's presence among His people is God's affair, it does not depend on people and on history. Although of course this independence is relative: because the preservation and the protection of God's presence is in particular a human task, entrusted to the people of God, who was called to witness about God dwelling in the midst of them. Then it is also true the fact that the people of God remains such only as long as there is a place for God in the midst of them.

It is not accidentally that the Torah and the prophets speak not about the ownership by the people of the land that God gave to them, but rather of the use of this land, which is limited by the conditions of the union-covenant concluded with God. If the union turns out violated, it can completely form a situation, where people lose their land, and the Temple. But this can be possible only in one case: if God goes away, and leaves the land, the city and the Temple, which He once blessed and hallowed by His presence.

After that, the destruction of the city and the Temple, the devastation of the land become only an external expression of this new spiritual state, a kind of anti-testimony, the proof of the fact that, at least in this historic given stage the people has failed their spiritual task. But here is, the return of the people on the land of their fathers, the restoration of the city and the Temple means exactly that after the repentance and the new conversion, the people are ready again for the mission which is entrusted to them by God. And thus, also begin a new stage in its historic fate. Stage leading them directly to the door of the New Testament.