When I recently read through the Minor Prophets, I was struck again by how much revelation they contain that plainly points to a glorious national future for Israel. Zechariah 8 is one of many chapters that have multiple statements that teach this truth.
Zechariah 8:3-6
At its beginning, Zechariah 8 speaks of a time when the Lord will dwell in Jerusalem and Jerusalem will be spoken of in a distinctive manner that has never been true of it:
Zec 8:3 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
From the time when Zechariah wrote this book until now, Jerusalem has never been called “a city of truth.” The next verses make clear that this is not some symbolic description of the eternal state and the New Jerusalem:
Zec 8:4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
The eternal state will not have people that age coexisting with a multitude of boys and girls. It is incomprehensible to me how any serious Bible interpreter could accept a symbolic interpretation of these verses.
The passage plainly sets forth the glorious national future that Israel will have in the Millennium!
Zechariah 8:18-23
The chapter concludes with revelation about a time when people from all nations will come to Jerusalem “to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and pray” before Him (Zech. 8:22). They will be convinced to seek out those who are Jews because they will have heard that God is with them (Zech. 8:23).
These statements have never been true in the history of Jerusalem since the time of Zechariah, and they certainly are not true today. They again set forth the marvelous glory that will be Israel’s in the Millennium!
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20) and “restore again the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6)!
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