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Commentary on Zechariah 8 verses 18–23
These verses contain two precious promises, for the further encouragement of those pious Jews that were hearty in building the temple.
I. That a happy period should be put to their fasts, and there should be no more occasion for them, but they should be converted into thanksgiving days, Zac 8:19. This is a direct answer to the enquiry concerning their fasts, Zac 7:3. Those of them that fasted in hypocrisy had their doom in the foregoing chapter, but those that in sincerity humbled themselves before God, and sought his face, have here a comfortable assurance given them of a large share in the happy times approaching. The four yearly fasts which they had religiously observed should be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and solemn feasts, and those cheerful ones. Note, Joyous times will come to the church after troublous times; if weeping endure for more than a night, and joy come not next morning, yet the morning will come that will introduce it at length. And, when God comes towards us in ways of mercy, we must meet him with joy and thankfulness; when God turns judgments into mercies we must turn fasts into festivals, and thus walk after the Lord. And those who sow in tears with Zion shall reap in joy with her; those who submit to the restraints of her solemn fasts while they continue shall share in the triumphs of her cheerful feasts when they come, Isa 66:10. The inference from this promise is, "Therefore love the truth and peace; be faithful and honest in all your dealings, and let it be a pleasure to you to be so, though thereby you cut yourselves short of those gains which you see others get dishonestly; and, as much as in you lies, live peaceably with all men, and be in your element when you are in charity. Let the truths of God rule in your heads, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts."
II. That a great accession should be made to the church by the conversion of many foreigners, Zac 8:20-23. This was fulfilled but in part when, in the latter times of the Jewish church, there were abundance of proselytes from all the countries about, and some that lay very remote, who came yearly to worship at Jerusalem, which added very much both to the grandeur and wealth of that city, and contributed greatly to the making of it so considerable as it came to be before our Saviour's time, though now it was but just peeping out of its ruins. But it would be accomplished much more fully in the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ, and the incorporating of them with the believing Jews in one great body, under Christ the head, a mystery which is made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets (Rom 16:26), and by this among the rest, which makes it strange that when it was accomplished it was so great a surprise and stumbling-block to the Jews. Observe,
1.Who they are that shall be added to the church - people, and the inhabitants of many cities (Zac 8:20); not only a few ignorant country people that may be easily imposed upon, or some idle people that have nothing else to do, but intelligent inquisitive citizens, men of business and acquaintance with the world, shall embrace the gospel of Christ; yea, many people and strong nations (Zac 8:22), some of all languages, Zac 8:23. By this it appears that they are brought into the church, not by human persuasion, for they are of different languages, not by external force, for they are strong nations, able to have kept their ground if they had been so attacked, but purely by the effectual working of divine truth and grace. Note, God has his remnant in all parts; and in the general assembly of the church of the first-born some will be found out of all nations and kindreds, Rev 7:9.
2.How their accession to the church is described: They shall come to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts (Zac 8:21); and, to show that this is the main matter in which their conversion consists, it is repeated (Zac 8:22): They shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. No mention is made of their offering sacrifices, not only because these were not expected from the proselytes of the gate, but because, when the Gentiles should be brought in, sacrifice and offering should be quite abolished. See who are to be accounted converts to God and members of the church: and all that are converts to God are members of the church. (1.) They are such as seek the Lord of hosts, such as enquire for God their Maker, covet and court his favour, and are truly desirous to know his mind and will and sincerely devoted to his honour and glory. This is the generation of those that seek him. (2.) They are such as pray before the Lord, - such as make conscience, and make a business, of the duty of prayer, - such as dare not, would not, for all the world, live without it, - such as by prayer pay their homage to God, own their dependence upon him, maintain their communion with him, and fetch in mercy and grace from him. (3.) They are such as herein have an eye to the divine revelation and institution, which is signified by their doing this in Jerusalem, the place which God had chosen, where his word was, where his temple was, which was a type of Christ and his mediation, which all faithful worshippers will have a believing regard to.
3.How unanimous they shall be in their accession to the church, and how zealous in exciting one another to it (Zac 8:21): The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, as formerly when they went up from all parts of the country to worship at the yearly feasts; and they shall say, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord; I will go also. This intimates, (1.) That those who are brought into an acquaintance with Christ themselves should do all they can to bring others acquainted with him; thus Andrew invited Peter to Christ and Philip invited Nathanael. True grace hates monopolies. (2.) That those who are duly sensible of their need of Christ, and of the favour of God through him, will stir up themselves and others without delay to hasten to him: "Let us go speedily to pray; it is for our lives, and the lives of our souls, that we are to petition, and therefore it concerns us to lose no time; in a matter of such moment delays are dangerous." (3.) That our communion with God is very much assisted and furthered by the communion of saints. It is pleasant to go to the house of God in company (Psa 55:14), with the multitude (Psa 42:4), and it is of good use to those that do so to excite one another to go speedily and lose no time; we should be glad when it is said to us, Let us go, Psa 122:1. As iron sharpens iron, so may good men sharpen the countenances and spirits one of another in that which is good. (4.) That those who stir up others to that which is good must take heed that they do not turn off, or tire, or draw back themselves; he that says, Let us go, says, I will go also. What good we put others upon doing we must see to it that we do ourselves, else we shall be judged out of our own mouths. Not, "Do you go, and I will stay at home;" but, "Do you go, and I will go with you." "A singular pattern (says Mr. Pemble) of zealous charity, that neither leaves others behind nor turns others before it."
4.Upon what inducement they shall join themselves to the church, not for the church's sake, but for his sake who dwells in it (Zac 8:23): Ten men of different nations and languages shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, begging of him not to outgo them, but to take them along with him. This intimates the great honour they have for a Jew, as one of the chosen people of God, and therefore well worthy their acquaintance; they cannot all come to take him by the hand, or embrace him in their arms, but are ambitious to take hold of the skirt of his robe, to touch the hem of his garment, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. The gospel was preached to the Jews first (for of that nation the apostles were) and by them it was carried to the Gentiles. St. Paul was a Jew whose skirt many took hold of when they welcomed him as an angel of God, and begged him to take them along with him to Christ; thus the Greeks took hold of Philip's skirt, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus, Joh 12:21. Note, It is the privilege of the saints that they have God with them, have him among them - the knowledge, and fear, and worship of him; they have his favour and gracious presence, and this should invite us into communion with them. It is good being with those who have God with them, and those who join themselves to the Lord must join themselves to his disciples; if we take God for our God, we must take his people for our people, cast in our lot among them, and be willing to take our lot with them.
(Verse 18, 19,.) And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah, joy and gladness, and great solemnities: only love ye truth and peace. LXX: And the word of the Lord Almighty came to me, saying: Thus says the Lord Almighty. The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah, joy and gladness, and good festivals (for this is the Hebrew word Tobim (), meaning good), and be happy, and love truth and peace. To the question that Sarasar and Rogommelech asked through messengers, whether they should fast and mourn in the fifth month and the seventh month, as it is written in the Septuagint, or whether they should end the fast and put away mourning after the completion of the temple, with many things being set forth in the midst of what they would do and what they would hope for, the Lord responded through the person of the prophet: the fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth month, and the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month (for the month is understood) shall be turned into joy and gladness for the house of Judah and Jerusalem on the appointed feasts. God alone seeks the truth and peace. In this place, many of our people have said many different things, and there is disagreement among them. Some, professing obscurity, have passed over the deepest pit in their commentaries: thinking it better to say nothing at all than to say too little. Therefore, we are compelled to turn to the Hebrews and seek the truth of knowledge from the source rather than from the streams: especially since there is no prophecy about Christ, where they often twist and conceal the truth with lies; but rather the order of history is woven from what comes before and what follows. On the seventeenth day of the month of July, which is called Julius in Latin, it is believed to commemorate the moment when Moses came down from Mount Sinai and threw down and broke the tablets of the Law (Exodus 32), and when the walls of the city were first breached, according to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 52). In the fifth month, which is called Augustus in Latin, when a rebellion arose among the people because of the spies of the Holy Land, they were commanded not to ascend the mountain; but for forty years they wandered in the wilderness, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, until they all perished (Numbers 14). In this month, both by Nabuchodonosor (Jer. LII), and many centuries later by Titus and Vespasian, the temple in Jerusalem was burned and destroyed, the city of Bether was captured, to which many thousands of Jews had fled, the temple was plowed in disgrace by the Roman governor Turannius Rufus. In the seventh month, which is called October among us, as we have said above, Godolias was killed, and the tribes of Judah and the remains of Jerusalem were scattered (IV Reg. 25). We read Jeremiah (Chapters XXXIX and XLI). In the tenth month, which is called January among us, because it is the door of the year and the beginning, Ezekiel, being in captivity, heard that the temple was destroyed in the fifth month, which we fully know from the same prophet. Therefore, this is all that is said: The days of mourning and fasting that you have had until now for sorrow, you shall know that I planned to do good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah, to turn them into joy and gladness and festive occasions, if only you love truth and peace. According to interpretation, because then we fast when the bridegroom is taken away from us (Luke 5), and we do not deserve to have his presence when the Lord returns to us and decides to bless us, all sorrow will turn into joy; and the previous hunger for the word of God, the presence of his teachings, and the satisfaction of heavenly bread, will be weighed.
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SUMMARY
Zechariah 8:18 serves as a formal, authoritative introduction to a new divine oracle, signaling that the subsequent message originates directly from Yahweh, the sovereign God of Israel. This verse marks a pivotal transition within Zechariah 8, moving from general promises of restoration for Jerusalem to specific instructions and clarifications regarding the future observance of fasts, emphasizing God's direct involvement in the lives and practices of His people.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Zechariah 8:18 is strategically placed within a larger section (chapters 7-8) that addresses a specific inquiry from the exiles in Bethel concerning the continued observance of national fasts, which commemorated the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Prior to this verse, Zechariah 8:1-17 delivers a series of hopeful prophecies about God's return to Zion, the restoration of Jerusalem, and the promise of peace, truth, and prosperity for its inhabitants. These verses paint a picture of a transformed future where God dwells among His people, and their city flourishes. Verse 18 then acts as a formal divine preamble, setting the stage for the Lord's direct answer to the fasts question, which is delivered in Zechariah 8:19-23. This structural marker emphasizes the divine authority and importance of the pronouncements that follow.
Historical & Cultural Context: The book of Zechariah is set during the post-exilic period, specifically around 520-518 BC, roughly two decades after the first wave of Jewish exiles returned from Babylon under Zerubbabel and Joshua. The temple rebuilding project, which had stalled, was being re-initiated through the prophetic ministries of Haggai and Zechariah. The question about the fasts (mentioned in Zechariah 7:1-3) reflects the people's concern about their religious practices in light of their new circumstances. They had observed these fasts for decades, mourning the national calamity. The return from exile and the renewed promises of God's favor raised the question of whether these fasts, rooted in sorrow, were still appropriate or if they should be replaced by celebrations. The phrase "LORD of hosts" (Yahweh Sabaoth) was a powerful and common divine title in post-exilic Israel, particularly in prophetic literature, affirming God's supreme authority and power over all creation and historical events, a comforting assurance for a vulnerable, newly returned community.
Key Themes: This introductory verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Zechariah and the broader prophetic corpus. Firstly, it highlights Divine Revelation and Communication, underscoring that the prophet's words are not his own but a direct, authoritative message from God. This concept is foundational to prophetic ministry, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 1:9 and Ezekiel 2:7. Secondly, the use of the title "the LORD of hosts" emphasizes God's Sovereignty and Omnipotence. This title, frequently employed by Zechariah, portrays God as the supreme commander of all heavenly and earthly armies, reinforcing His absolute power to fulfill His promises of restoration and blessing, even in the face of human weakness or opposition. Finally, the verse reinforces the theme of God's Active Engagement with His People, demonstrating His continued care and guidance for the returned exiles, providing specific direction for their worship and future. This echoes God's covenant faithfulness throughout Israel's history, as He continually speaks to guide and correct His people, as seen in Deuteronomy 29:29.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Zechariah 8:18, though brief, employs several significant literary devices. The most prominent is the Prophetic Formula, "And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying." This standardized opening serves as an authoritative marker, immediately establishing the divine origin and infallibility of the subsequent message. It lends immense weight to the pronouncements that follow, assuring the audience that these are not human opinions but direct revelations from God. The use of the divine title "LORD of hosts" (Yahweh Sabaoth) is a form of Epithet, a descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned. This epithet functions as a powerful declaration of God's supreme authority, omnipotence, and sovereignty over all creation and history, reinforcing the absolute certainty and power of His word. Furthermore, the verse uses Direct Address implicitly, as the "saying" indicates that the subsequent words will be God's own, in contrast to a third-person narrative, drawing the reader directly into the divine communication.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Zechariah 8:18 profoundly underscores the biblical truth that God is a speaking God, actively engaging with humanity and revealing His will. This verse is not merely a literary transition but a theological statement about divine initiative and the authority of God's word. It reminds us that all genuine prophecy and divine instruction flow from the sovereign "LORD of hosts," whose pronouncements are not subject to human approval or revision. This divine communication is essential for guiding His people, correcting their understanding, and revealing His redemptive purposes throughout history. The emphasis on "the word of the LORD" highlights the power and efficacy of God's utterances, which bring about what they declare and shape the destiny of individuals and nations.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Zechariah 8:18, though brief, offers profound truths for contemporary believers. It serves as a powerful reminder that the God we worship is not silent or distant, but actively communicates His will and heart to His people. Just as "the word of the LORD" came to Zechariah, God continues to speak today, primarily through the inspired pages of Scripture, which is His complete and authoritative revelation to us. This verse calls us to cultivate a posture of attentiveness and humility, recognizing that true wisdom and guidance come from listening to and obeying God's voice. Furthermore, the title "LORD of hosts" assures us that the One who speaks is utterly sovereign and powerful, capable of fulfilling every promise and bringing every purpose to fruition. In a world filled with conflicting voices and uncertainties, we can find unwavering stability and direction in the authoritative word of our omnipotent God. Our task is to diligently seek His word, meditate on it, and allow it to transform our lives and perspectives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is the phrase "the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying" so frequently repeated in prophetic books?
Answer: This phrase is a crucial prophetic formula, serving several vital purposes. Firstly, it authenticates the message as divine, not human. By stating "the word of the LORD," the prophet emphasizes that the message originates from God Himself, not from the prophet's own thoughts or wisdom. Secondly, the inclusion of "of hosts" (Yahweh Sabaoth) reinforces God's supreme authority and power, assuring the audience that the message is backed by the Creator and Commander of all things, thus guaranteeing its truth and inevitable fulfillment. Thirdly, "came unto me" highlights the prophet's role as a direct recipient and faithful messenger of God's revelation. Finally, "saying" indicates that the subsequent text is the direct, verbatim speech of God, lending an unparalleled weight and solemnity to the pronouncement. This repetition ensured that the audience recognized and respected the divine origin and authority of the prophetic word, as seen in Isaiah 1:10.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Zechariah 8:18 is an Old Testament prophetic formula, it finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself is the ultimate "Word of the LORD," the living embodiment of God's revelation to humanity. As John 1:1 declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This divine Word, which "came unto" Zechariah, ultimately became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Jesus is the perfect and final revelation of God, the One through whom God speaks most clearly and definitively. The authority of "the LORD of hosts" is fully vested in Him, as He is the one who commands the elements (Mark 4:39), casts out demons (Matthew 8:29), and holds all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Thus, the divine communication initiated in the Old Testament through prophets like Zechariah culminates in the person of Jesus, who is God's final and most complete word to humanity (Hebrews 1:1-2).