“Therefore thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.” — Zechariah 1:16-17

A while back, several of my friends went on a tour of Israel. Like most Christian believers, I feel a connection to that nation, so I studied the photos they posted online with great interest. I paid special attention to the pictures they took in Jerusalem, as they reminded me of recent historic events in that city. 

On December 6, 2017, the President of the United States formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and stated that the American embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The official opening of the Jerusalem embassy took place five months later on May 14, 2018, a date coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Israeli Declaration of Independence. 

The official U.S. Government statement that day noted: “Seventy years ago, the United States, under President Truman, recognized the State of Israel. Since then, the State of Israel has made its capital in Jerusalem—the capital the Jewish people established in ancient times. Today, Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s government... It is therefore appropriate for the United States to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.”¹ 

The embassy relocation was both joyously applauded and vehemently condemned around the world. The controversy that swirled around this event is a reminder that the city of Jerusalem has a long and conflict-riddled past. However, it also has a glorious future! As Zechariah began his prophetic ministry, the Lord spoke words of comfort to His disheartened people, pledging to intervene on their behalf. 

In our focus verses, a description is given of three future events. After the Lord stated that He had “returned” to Jerusalem in mercy, He promised that “my house shall be built in it,” indicating that the Temple rebuilding would be completed. He went on to say that the city itself would be rebuilt, symbolized by the measuring line “stretched forth upon Jerusalem.” (This was fulfilled about seventy years later through Nehemiah.) The promise in verse 17 points ahead to the Messianic kingdom still to come: “and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.” 

Today, amid all the agitation and competing opinions about Jerusalem and Israel, we can be assured that God’s words concerning His chosen people will come to pass. God has proved His power to maintain the Jewish people’s existence among the nations of the earth where they were scattered in divine judgment. He has brought many of them back to their homeland, to a nation miraculously “born” in a day. And someday, if we remain faithful to Him, we will witness His marvelous restoration of the Holy City, Jerusalem, which He has chosen to be the center of His Messianic Kingdom.

^1. President Donald Trump, “Recognizing Jerusalem as the Capital of the State of Israel and Relocating the United States Embassy to Israel to Jerusalem,” December 6, 2017, Jerusalem, Israel, Transcript: Federal Register, National Archives, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2017-26832/p-4.

BACKGROUND

The Book of Zechariah opens with the prophet’s message calling the Jews to return to God. Then Zechariah described the first three visions in a series of eight, all delivered to the prophet in one night. These were not dreams but rather, vivid allegories that symbolized the divine truths he was to impart to the people. The first vision portrayed a man among the myrtle trees. The second was of four horns and four craftsmen. The third centered on a man with a measuring line. 

Zechariah’s call to repentance in Zechariah 1:1-6 was given two months after the prophet Haggai had begun encouraging the rebuilding of the Temple, and a month after the work had restarted. Through Zechariah, God rehearsed what Israel and Judah’s forefathers had done that caused Him to send them into exile, and reminded the people of His faithfulness to them. 

In verses 7-17, Zechariah described the first vision, which was of a man on horseback leading other horses and their riders. They were in a ravine in a grove of myrtle trees; in Scripture, myrtle often is used to signify repentance and renewal. An interpreting angel stood near Zechariah, providing explanations. The horsemen had been charged by the Lord to survey the earth. They gave their report to “the angel of the Lord.” 

The angel of the Lord’s question in verse 12 revealed the purpose for the night visions. The comforting answer was understood by the interpreting angel and relayed to Zechariah in verses 14 and 15. Although God had used Assyria and Babylon as tools to “forward the affliction” (or judge) the idolatry of Israel and Judah, He was angry with these “heathen” (Gentile) nations for their oppression of His people. Verse 16 indicates that God had turned back to Israel with mercy. The scope of His commitment is seen in Zechariah’s prophecy of future events: God’s house would be rebuilt, Jerusalem would be rebuilt, the “cities” (representing the nation) would be rebuilt and prosperous, and in verse 17, “the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem,” looking ahead to the Messianic kingdom. 

In the second vision, described in verses 18-21 of chapter 1, the prophet saw four “horns.” In that era, horns symbolized the threatening power of a nation, so this vision foretold that God would judge the nations that had victimized God’s people. The tense of the verb used in verse 19 could refer to both current and future cycles of oppression and retribution. The “carpenters” in verse 20 referred to all types of craftsmen who use different tools to force material into submission. These signified those by whom God would “fray” (terrify or overthrow) the nations that had scattered Israel. 

The third vision, described in chapter 2, revealed God’s intent for Jerusalem in the end times through the symbolism of an angel with a measuring line and a city without walls. In verse 1, the Hebrew word chebel, translated as “measuring line,” refers to boundaries for an inheritance—indicating here the portion God will claim as His own (see verse 12). Seemingly, the city was measured to ensure that it will be large enough for the multitudes God will bring to it, in contrast to its small population in Zechariah’s era. The Jerusalem of the future will have no need of walls because God will be its protection (verses 4-5). 

The third vision concludes with two appeals—the first to the exiles who had not returned from Babylon (verses 6-9), and the second to the future inhabitants of Zion (verses 10-13). “Ho, ho, come forth . . .” in verse 6 was an imperative statement directing those remaining in Babylon to flee because judgment would fall upon the oppressors. In verse 9, the shaking of the hand was a threatening or dismissive gesture indicating the removal of protection from them. The Lord of hosts declared that the “spoil” of the oppressing nations would ultimately come to those they had oppressed. 

The future inhabitants of Zion, addressed in verses 10-13, will include those from many Gentile nations, during the Millennial Reign. Verse 12 is the only Scriptural reference to “the holy land.” The land will only be holy when God purifies it in preparation for Christ’s reign from Jerusalem. Verse 13 portrays the Lord emerging from His holy habitation to rule over human affairs.

AMPLIFIED OUTLINE

I. Introduction (1:1-6)
    A. The superscription: time and author (1:1)
    B. The call to repentance (1:2-6)
         1. God’s anger (1:2)
         2. God’s invitation (1:3)
         3. God’s warning (1:4-6)
II. The eight night visions
    A. The vision of the man among the Myrtle trees (1:7-17)
         1. The time (1:7)
         2. The vision (1:8-12)
         3. The comfort (1:13-17)
              a. God’s love for Israel (1:13-14)
              b. God’s anger against the nations (1:15)
              c. God’s return to Israel (1:16-17)
                  (1) The restoration of the Temple and Jerusalem (1:16)
                  (2) The prosperity of the cities, the comfort of Zion and the selection of Jerusalem (1:17)
    B. The vision of the four horns and four craftsmen (1:18-21)
         1. The four horns (1:18-19)
              a. The vision (1:18)
              b. The interpretation (1:19)
         2. The four craftsmen (1:20-21)
              a. The vision (1:20)
              b. The interpretation (1:21)
    C. The vision of the man with the measuring line (2:1-13)
         1. The vision (2:1-3)
         2. The promises of the vision (2:4-13)
              a. Jerusalem’s expansion (2:4)
              b. Jerusalem’s protection (2:5)
              c. Israel’s enemies judged (2:6-9)
              d. Israel’s millennial blessings (2:10-13)

A CLOSER LOOK

1. In Zechariah 1:13, what kind of words did the Lord use in responding to the angel?
2. Zechariah’s first prophecy was given about two months after Haggai began to prophesy. Why do you think God commissioned two prophets to deliver similar messages so close together?
3. What steps can we take to stay encouraged in the Lord and committed to our opportunities of service for Him, even when we face challenges?

CONCLUSION

As we read Zechariah’s stirring message of hope to the discouraged remnant in Jerusalem, we are reminded that God always does what He has promised. Someday, Jerusalem will be restored in God’s future Kingdom!