TRV
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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Zechariah 7:8–14. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
What was said Zac 7:7, that they should have heard the words of the former prophets, is here enlarged upon, for warning to these hypocritical enquirers, who continued their sins when they asked with great preciseness whether they should continue their fasts. This prophet had before put them in mind of their fathers' disobedience to the calls of the prophets, and what was the consequence of it (Zac 1:4-6), and now here again; for others' harms should be our warnings. God's judgments upon Israel of old for their sins were written for admonition to us Christians (Co1 10:11), and the same use we should make of similar providences in our own day.
I.This prophet here repeats the heads of the sermons which the former prophets preached to their fathers (Zac 7:9, Zac 7:10), because the very same things were required of them now. "Thus does the Lord of hosts speak to you now, and thus he did speak to your fathers, saying, Execute true judgment." The duties here required of them, which would have been the lengthening of the tranquillity of their fathers and must be the restoring of their tranquillity, are not keeping fasts and offering sacrifices, but doing justly and loving mercy, duties which they were bound to by the light and law of nature, though there had been no prophets sent to insist upon them, duties which had a direct tendency to the public welfare and peace, and which they themselves would be the gainers by, and not God. 1. Magistrates must administer justice impartially, according to the maxims of the law and the merits of the cause, without respect of persons: "Judge judgment of truth, and execute it when you have judged it." 2. Neighbours must have a tender concern for one another, and must not only do one another no wrong, but must be ready to do one another all the good offices that lie in their power. They must show mercy and compassion every man to his brother, as the case called for it. The infirmities of others, as well as their calamities, are to be looked upon with compassion. Hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim - This kindness we ask and exercise. 3. They must not bear hard upon those whom they have advantage against, and who, they know, are not able to help themselves. They must not, either in commerce or in course of law, oppress the widow, the fatherless, the stranger, and the poor, Zac 7:10. The weakest must not be thrust to the wall because they are weakest. No thanks to men not to deny right to those who are in a capacity to demand it and recover it; but we must, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake, give those their own who have not power to force it from us. Or it intimates that that which is but exactness with others is exaction upon the widows and the fatherless; nay, that not relieving and helping them as we ought is, in effect, oppressing them. 4. They must not only not do wrong to any, but they must not so much as desire it nor think of it: "Let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. Do not project it; do not wish it; nay do not so much as please yourself with the fancy of it." The law of God lays a restraint upon the heart, and forbids the entertaining, forbids the admitting, of a malicious, spiteful, ill-natured thought. Deu 15:9, Beware that there be not a thought in thy Belial heart against thy brother.
II.He describes the wilfulness and disobedience of their fathers, who persisted in all manner of wickedness and injustice, notwithstanding these exhortations and admonitions frequently given them in God's name; various expressions to this purport are here heaped up (Zac 7:11, Zac 7:12), setting forth the stubbornness of that carnal mind which is enmity against God, and is not in subjection to the law of God, neither indeed can be. They were obstinate and refractory, and persisted in their transgressions of the law purely from a spirit of contradiction to the law.
1.They would not, if they could help it, come within hearing of the prophets, but kept at a distance; or, if they could not avoid hearing what they said, yet they resolved they would not heed it: They refused to hearken, and looked another way as if they had not been spoken to.
2.If they did hear what was said to them, and, as it seemed, inclined at first to comply with it, yet they flew off when it came to the setting to, and, like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, they pulled away the shoulder, and would not submit to the easy yoke and the light burden of God's commandments. They gave a withdrawing shoulder (so the word is); they seemed to lay their shoulder to the work, but they presently withdrew it again, as those Jer 34:10, Jer 34:11. They were like a deceitful bow, as that son that said, I go, sir, but went not.
3.They filled their own minds with prejudices against the word of God, and had some objection or other ready wherewith to fortify themselves against every sermon they heard. They stopped their ears, that they should not hear, as the deaf adder (Psa 58:4), and none are so deaf as those that will not hear, that make their own ear heavy, as the word is.
4.They resolved that nothing which was said to them, for the enforcing of these injunctions, should make any impression upon them: They made their hearts as an adamant-stone, as a diamond, the hardest of stones to be wrought upon, or as a flint, which the mason cannot hew into shape as he can other stone out of the quarry. Nothing is so hard, so unmalleable, so inflexible, as the heart of a presumptuous sinner; and those whose hearts are hard may thank themselves; they are of their own hardening, and it is just with God to give them over to a reprobate sense, to the hardness and impenitence of their own hearts. These stubborn sinners hardened their hearts on purpose lest they should hear what God said to them by the written word, by the law of Moses, and by the words of the prophets that preached to them; they had Moses and the prophets, but resolved they would hear neither, nor would they have been persuaded though one had been sent to them from the dead. The words of the prophet were not regarded by them, though they were words which the Lord of hosts sent and directed to them, though he sent them immediately by his Spirit in the prophets; so that in despising them they affronted God himself and resisted the Holy Ghost. Note, The reason why men are not good is because they will not be so; they will not consider, will not comply; and therefore, if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
III.He shows the fatal consequences of it to their fathers:
Therefore came great wrath from the Lord of hosts. God was highly displeased with them, and justly; he required nothing of them but what was reasonable in itself and beneficial to them; and yet they refused, and in a most insolent manner too. What master could bear to be so abused by his own servant? Such an implacable enmity to the gospel as this was to the law and the prophets was that which brought wrath to the uttermost upon the last generation of the Jewish church, Th1 2:16. Great sins against the Lord of hosts, whose authority is incontestable, bring great wrath from the Lord of hosts, whose power is irresistible. And the effect was,
1.As they had turned a deaf ear to God's word, so God turned a deaf ear to their prayers, Zac 7:13. As he cried to them in their prosperity to leave their sins, and they would not hear, but persisted in their iniquities, so they cried to him in the day of their trouble to remove his judgments, and he would not hear, but lengthened out their calamities. Those that set God at defiance, in the height of their pride, when pangs came upon them cried unto him. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee. But God has said it, and will abide by it, He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination, Pro 28:9; Pro 1:24, etc. Iniquity, regarded in the heart, will certainly spoil the success of prayer, Psa 66:18.
2.As they flew off from their duty and allegiance to God, and were of desultory and unsettled spirits, so God dissipated them and threw them about as chaff before a whirlwind: He scattered them among all the nations whom they knew not, and whom therefore they could not expect to receive any kindness from, Zac 7:14.
3.As they violated all the laws of their land, so God took away all the glories of it: Their land was desolate after them, and no man passed through or returned. All that country that was the kingdom of the two tribes, after the dispersion of the remaining Jews, upon the slaughter of Gedaliah, was left utterly uninhabited; there was not man, woman, or child, in it, till the Jews returned at the end of seventy years' captivity; nay, it should seem, the very roads that lay through the country were deserted (none passed or repassed), which, as it had an intimation of mercy in it (though they were cast out of it, yet it was kept empty for their return), so for the present it made the judgment appear much the more dismal; for what a horrid wilderness must a land be that had been so many years uninhabited! And they might thank themselves; it was they that by their own wickedness laid the pleasant land desolate. It was not so much the Chaldeans that did it. No; they did it themselves. The desolations of a land are owing to the wickedness of its inhabitants, Psa 107:34. This came of their wilful disobedience to the law of God. And the present generation saw how desolate sin had made that pleasant land, and yet would not take warning.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Verses 8 onwards) And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. But they refused to listen, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears in order not to hear. They made their hearts adamant in order not to hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. And it came to pass as he had spoken, and they did not hear: so shall they cry, and I will not hear, saith the Lord of hosts. And I scattered them throughout all the kingdoms which they did not know; and the land was desolate from them, because there was no one who passed by or returned; and they made the pleasant land a wilderness. LXX: And the word of the Lord came to Zacharias, saying: Thus saith the Lord Almighty, saying: Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother: and oppress not the widow, and the orphan, and the poor man: and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your hearts. And they were unwilling to pay attention, and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the Lord of hosts. As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear, says the Lord of hosts, and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate. I wanted these things more, I sought those things that you, not doing, are handed over to captivity; and not the fasting of the fifth and seventh month of desolation and death. Judge a just judgment, so that you may not hear in the Psalms: How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked? Judge for the orphan and the widow; justify the humble and the poor (Psalm 81:2, 3), lest Isaiah also speak to you: Those who justify the wicked for bribes and take away the justice of the righteous (Isaiah 5:23); and because of you, let Habakkuk make a complaint to God on behalf of those who are oppressed: Judgment has been done against me, and the judge accepts bribes; therefore the law is useless and justice does not reach its end, because the wicked oppress the righteous (Habakkuk 1:3, 4). Nor should we consider this commandment of God to be something new; once upon a time, He had given these instructions through Moses: 'You shall judge great as small: you shall not show partiality to anyone, and you shall not have pity on the poor in judgment, for it is the judgment of God' (Deuteronomy 1:17). Each person shall also show mercy and compassion towards their brother. After the severity of judgment, let mercy follow for all, especially towards brothers, whom we perceive to be of the same blood or of the same faith as us. Also see the widow and orphan, of whom it was commanded to us: Be a father to the orphans and a husband to their mother; judge the orphan and justify the widow (Eccl. IV, 10). And do not slander the stranger and the poor, for one is made a foreigner by travel, the other is made lowly by poverty. And let not a man think evil of his brother in his heart, as it is said in the Septuagint: And let everyone not remember the wickedness of his brother in his heart (Luke X). But we must accept our brother and neighbor, or all kinds of people; because we are all generated from one parent, or those who are of the household of faith, according to the parable of the Gospel, which wants all people to be understood as neighbors, not just those who are blood relatives. And whatever anger should be resolved before the sun sets, and all the evil that we have suffered from others should be erased from memory, and we read this in many places, especially in Jeremiah, who speaks in the voice of God: And let each one not remember the malice of his neighbor in your hearts. When I commanded them to do these things, they refused to pay attention and turned their back, despising my orders, disregarding the posture of my body. For we are accustomed, when we wrinkle our forehead and contract our nostrils, to show disdain, to turn our back, according to that which is written: They turned their back to me, and not their face (Jeremiah 2:27). And they have made their ears heavy, so they could not hear, like the deaf adder that stops its ears, which will not hear the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful they might be. For they have made their ears heavy, that they may not hear, and their heart they have turned away, that they may not understand the law of God. Hence, Isaiah, threatening them, says: The heart of this people is fat, and with their ears they have been heavily affected, and their eyes they have closed, lest perhaps they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. Moreover, what is said according to the Hebrew: And they have placed their heart as adamant (or as adamant), signifies the hardness of heart, and a stony heart, that they have not been willing to receive the words of God. For indeed, the diamond is the strongest stone, which in Hebrew is called Samir, so hard that it breaks all metals and it itself is not broken by any. Hence, it is called indomitable by the Greeks. Pharaoh's heart was hardened by this diamond, so that he would not let the people of God go (Exod. 7 et seq.). And because they had, or rather they set their hearts like a diamond, willingly taking on the hardness of heart, they did not listen to the words of the Lord, which he sent in his spirit, that is, in the Holy Spirit through the hand of the prophets of old, Isaiah, Hosea, and the others, who had clean hands, as it is evident from before the captivity: therefore, great anger was brought about by great sins, and the words of the Lord have been fulfilled, in accordance with the principle of like for like, that just as they walked towards him in wickedness, so he would walk towards them in wickedness, and he would not listen to the words of those calling out, because they too had disregarded the words of the Lord with a deaf ear. Therefore, he scattered them throughout all the kingdoms that they did not know, the kingdoms of the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Medes, Persians, and other nations that were subject to these empires, and in whose lands they were scattered. And all of Judah became desolate, because it had no inhabitant, and there was no one passing through or returning. And the land, which was a honeycomb among all lands and flowed with milk and honey abundantly, they turned into a wilderness. Can we apply these things to those who, in the Church, as delinquents, were cast out from the land of confession, because they refused to hear the Lord, and turned their back on Him departing, and made heavy their ears, and hardened their heart like adamant. And the indignation of the Lord came upon them, and they were scattered throughout all the kingdoms of vices, and their land was deserted, either in soul or body, having no indwelling Lord, nor a returning spirit within themselves. And the once desirable land, which was the dwelling place of the Trinity, has been turned into a desert, the abode of dragons. Let us quickly pass over those things which are clear, so that there may be room for discussing obscure matters: for we are not writing lengthy and flourishing treatises in which eloquence plays a pleasing role, but rather we are writing commentaries, whose duty it is to pass over obvious things and discuss obscure matters.
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Summary
Zechariah 7:14 serves as a stark divine declaration, revealing the severe consequences of Israel's persistent disobedience and refusal to heed God's commands. It vividly portrays God's active role in scattering His people among unfamiliar nations with overwhelming force, leading to the utter desolation of their beloved homeland. This verse underscores the principle that the land's physical state mirrored the spiritual and moral decay of its inhabitants, affirming God's unwavering justice in response to covenant unfaithfulness.
Context
Literary Context
Zechariah 7 is part of a larger prophetic discourse delivered to the returned exiles in Jerusalem. The chapter opens with a delegation from Bethel inquiring whether they should continue their traditional fasts commemorating the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, even after their return from exile (Zechariah 7:1-3). God's response, delivered through Zechariah, shifts the focus dramatically from mere ritualistic observance to the foundational principles of justice, mercy, and righteousness that their ancestors had neglected (Zechariah 7:4-7). The Lord reminds them that the previous generations' failure to "execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother" (Zechariah 7:9) and their hardened hearts (Zechariah 7:11-12) directly led to the very judgment and desolation they were now commemorating. Verse 14, therefore, functions as the climactic summation of God's judgment, explaining the historical reality of their scattering and the land's ruin as a direct consequence of their ancestral sins, serving as a solemn warning to the present generation.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophet Zechariah ministered during the post-exilic period, around 520-518 BC, to the Jewish community that had returned from the Babylonian captivity. This community was engaged in rebuilding the temple and re-establishing their lives in a desolate land. The memory of the seventy-year exile (Jeremiah 25:11) was fresh, and the physical scars of Jerusalem's destruction were still evident. Culturally, the people were grappling with their identity and relationship with God after such a profound national catastrophe. The question about fasting in Zechariah 7 reveals a preoccupation with outward religious practices, perhaps as a means of appeasing God or demonstrating piety. However, God's response, culminating in verse 14, forcefully redirects their attention to the deeper spiritual and moral failures that truly provoked divine wrath. The concept of "scattering among nations" was a well-understood curse for covenant disobedience in ancient Israel, often outlined in covenant stipulations like those found in Deuteronomy 28. The desolation of the land was not merely a physical event but a sign of God's withdrawal and judgment, a land once flowing with milk and honey now lying waste.
Key Themes
Zechariah 7:14 powerfully articulates several key themes pervasive throughout the book and broader Old Testament prophetic literature. Foremost is the theme of Divine Judgment and Consequences, emphasizing God's active and just response to human sin. The scattering and desolation are not random misfortunes but divinely orchestrated consequences for persistent rebellion against His covenant. This highlights God's Sovereignty over history and nations, as He uses even foreign powers to execute His righteous decrees. Another crucial theme is Covenant Faithfulness and Disobedience. The verse implicitly recalls the covenant curses promised for unfaithfulness, demonstrating that God holds His people accountable to the terms of their relationship with Him. The phrase "pleasant land" underscores the theme of God's Blessing and Provision initially bestowed upon Israel, making its subsequent desolation a tragic testament to the severity of their apostasy. Finally, the verse contributes to the overarching theme of Repentance and Restoration, serving as a severe warning that the present generation must learn from the past and genuinely turn to God in righteousness, not just ritual, to avoid a similar fate and truly experience the promised restoration. This call for genuine repentance is central to Zechariah's message, as seen in Zechariah 1:3.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Derived from H5590, this term signifies a primitive root meaning "to rush upon" or "to toss." It conveys the idea of a violent storm or tempest, indicating an overwhelming, forceful, and inescapable act. In Zechariah 7:14, its use describes the manner of God's scattering of His people, emphasizing the intensity and divine power behind their dispersion. It's not a gentle dispersal but a tempestuous, destructive force, highlighting the severity of God's judgment.
This word refers to a "foreign nation" or "Gentile." It can also figuratively denote a "troop of animals" or "flight of locusts," emphasizing a large, often undifferentiated mass. Here, it signifies the foreign lands and peoples among whom Israel was dispersed, highlighting their alienation from their homeland and their forced integration into unfamiliar, often hostile, cultures. The phrase "whom they knew not" further underscores the foreignness and potential hardship of their exile.
This feminine noun means "delight," "desire," "goodly," or "precious." It is a descriptor for the land of Israel, often called "the pleasant land" or "the desirable land" in biblical texts. Its use here emphasizes the land's inherent beauty, fertility, and its status as a divinely favored inheritance. The contrast between this "pleasant" land and its subsequent "desolate" state powerfully conveys the tragic outcome of Israel's disobedience, making the judgment even more poignant.
Verse Breakdown
"But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not."
This opening clause unequivocally asserts divine agency ("I scattered them"). God Himself is the active subject, orchestrating the dispersion of His people. The method, "with a whirlwind," vividly portrays the overwhelming, violent, and irresistible force of this scattering, likening it to a destructive storm. The destination, "among all the nations whom they knew not," highlights the complete and widespread nature of the exile, forcing the Israelites into unfamiliar, foreign, and potentially hostile environments, far from their cultural and religious moorings. This emphasizes the profound disorientation and suffering that accompanied their judgment.
"Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned:"
This clause describes the immediate and profound consequence of the scattering on the land itself. "Thus the land was desolate after them" signifies that the departure of its inhabitants left the land barren, empty, and ruined. The phrase "that no man passed through nor returned" is a strong hyperbolic expression emphasizing the utter abandonment and devastation. It paints a picture of a land so utterly laid waste that it was impassable and uninhabitable, devoid of human life or activity, a stark contrast to its former vibrancy and productivity.
"for they laid the pleasant land desolate."
This final clause provides the crucial theological justification for the preceding judgment. The conjunction "for" establishes a direct causal link between the people's actions and God's response. The phrase "they laid the pleasant land desolate" refers not to physical destruction by human hands, but to the moral and spiritual desolation brought about by their sin, idolatry, and neglect of justice and righteousness. By their unfaithfulness and rebellion against God's commands, they effectively "desolated" the land spiritually, making it ripe for God's physical judgment. The repetition of "desolate" (H8047, shammâh and H8074, shâmêm) underscores the profound and reciprocal nature of the judgment: their spiritual desolation led to the land's physical desolation.
Literary Devices
Zechariah 7:14 is rich with literary devices that amplify its message of divine judgment. The most prominent is Divine Agency, with the clear declaration "But I scattered them," which immediately establishes God as the primary actor behind the calamity, dispelling any notion of random misfortune. This is powerfully reinforced by the Metaphor "with a whirlwind," which vividly portrays the overwhelming, irresistible, and destructive force of God's judgment, likening it to a violent tempest. The verse also employs striking Parallelism and Repetition in its use of "desolate," appearing twice (H8074, shâmêm and H8047, shammâh). This repetition emphasizes the profound and reciprocal nature of the judgment: the land's physical desolation is a direct consequence of the people's spiritual and moral "desolation" of it through their sin. Furthermore, the phrase "no man passed through nor returned" functions as Hyperbole, exaggerating the extent of the land's abandonment to underscore the utter and complete devastation. Finally, there is a powerful Contrast between the "pleasant land" (a term evoking beauty and divine favor) and its subsequent state of "desolation," highlighting the tragic fall from grace and the severity of the consequences for disobedience.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Zechariah 7:14 is a profound theological statement on the nature of God's justice, His covenant faithfulness, and the inevitable consequences of human sin. It reveals a God who is not merely a passive observer but an active participant in history, holding His people accountable to the covenant He established with them. The scattering and desolation are not arbitrary acts but righteous judgments, demonstrating that God's character demands a response to persistent rebellion. This verse reinforces the Old Testament principle that the well-being of the land was intrinsically linked to the spiritual health and obedience of its inhabitants. When the people defiled the land through their idolatry, injustice, and hardened hearts, God, in His holiness, allowed the land to become desolate, mirroring their spiritual condition. This serves as a timeless reminder that true worship and relationship with God are not about outward ritual but about inward transformation and obedience to His righteous commands for justice and mercy.
Reflection and Application
Zechariah 7:14 offers profound lessons for believers today, underscoring the enduring truth that God's character is unchanging and His principles for righteous living remain steadfast. This verse challenges us to move beyond mere outward religious observance and ritual, prompting us to examine the true condition of our hearts and our commitment to justice, mercy, and humility in our daily lives. Just as ancient Israel's spiritual decay led to the desolation of their physical land, our own spiritual negligence or active rebellion against God's will can lead to a form of "desolation" in our lives—a barrenness of joy, peace, and purpose, or a brokenness in our relationships. The "whirlwind" of God's judgment, while terrifying, also serves as a poignant reminder of His holiness and His commitment to righteousness. It calls us to take seriously the consequences of sin, not out of fear, but out of a desire to live in alignment with the One who loves us and desires our flourishing. Ultimately, this passage urges us to heed God's voice, to cultivate a tender heart that responds to His instruction, and to pursue genuine obedience that reflects His character, ensuring that our lives, like the pleasant land, are not laid desolate by our own choices but flourish under His blessing.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Zechariah 7:14 imply that God directly causes all suffering and natural disasters?
Zechariah 7:14 certainly depicts God as actively involved in the scattering of Israel and the desolation of their land, using the powerful imagery of a "whirlwind" to describe His agency. This verse, in its immediate context, presents God's judgment as a direct consequence of Israel's persistent disobedience and hardened hearts, as outlined in Zechariah 7:11-12. It highlights God's sovereignty and His unwavering commitment to justice within the covenant relationship He had with Israel. While the Bible affirms God's ultimate sovereignty over all creation and events, it's crucial to interpret specific passages within their literary and theological context. This verse speaks to a unique covenant relationship and specific acts of judgment for covenant breaking, rather than a blanket statement about all suffering. Other biblical texts speak to the fallen nature of the world, the consequences of human sin generally, and the mystery of suffering. However, it unequivocally asserts that God can and does intervene in history, sometimes through judgment, to uphold His righteous standards.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Zechariah 7:14, with its vivid portrayal of scattering and desolation due to covenant unfaithfulness, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Israel's scattering was a consequence of their sin, Christ, the true Israel, experienced a profound "scattering" and desolation not for His own sin, but for ours. He was "scattered" from the presence of the Father on the cross, enduring the ultimate spiritual desolation as He became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). The "pleasant land" that was laid desolate by Israel's sin foreshadows the spiritual barrenness and death that sin brings to humanity. However, Jesus, through His atoning sacrifice, transforms this desolation into life and flourishing. He is the one who gathers those who were scattered (John 11:51-52), bringing them into a new covenant relationship where the law is written on hearts, not just stone tablets (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Through Him, the "desolate land" of our sinful hearts can be made fruitful, watered by the Spirit (John 7:38-39). Ultimately, Christ's work culminates in the promise of a new heaven and a new earth, a truly "pleasant land" where there will be no more curse or desolation, but only the fullness of God's presence and blessing (Revelation 21:1-4).