I will bring them back to dwell in Jerusalem, where they will be My people, and I will be their faithful and righteous God." Sermons
I. HERE IS A DIVINE TEMPORAL RESTORATION. "And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem." There is no sound reason for believing that the people here mentioned as those that were brought "from the east country and from the west" refer to the Jews in the far future, who, some suppose, will be restored to Jerusalem at last. I know of no authority lop supposing that such a restoration will ever be effected. Nor does the passage point, I think, to the universal conversion of the Jews to Christianity in the last times. The reference is manifestly to those Jews who had been scattered abroad over various countries through the Babylonian Captivity, and other disastrous causes. The point is that the restoration here promised is a temporal restoration to their own land and city. They had been exiled for many long years, and deeply did they deplore in a foreign land their expatriation. "By the rivers of Babylon we sat down," etc. The Almighty by Cyrus restored them. And he is constantly restoring his people to those temporal blessings they have lost. He restores often (1) to lost health; (2) to lost property; (3) to lost social status. He is the temporal Restorer of his people. In all their distresses he bids them look to him. "Call upon me in the day of trouble," etc. II. HERE IS A DIVINE SPIRITUAL RESTORATION, "And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness." This may mean, "I will become their God in good faith, or in reality, both on their side and mine." This is incomparably the most important restoration. In truth, all temporal restorations are of no permanent value without this. Observe: 1. Man may lose his God. He may be without "God in the world." Indeed, the millions are in this state. "They feel after him, if haply they may find him." 2. The loss of God is the greatest toss. A man separated from God is like a branch separated from the root, a river from the fountain, a planet from the sun. 3. Restoration to God is the transcendent good. He who can say, "The Lord is my Portion" possesseth all things. This restoration the Almighty is effecting now in the world. "He is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself." - D.T.
I will save My people from the East country, and from the West country Homilist. I. A DIVINE TEMPORAL RESTORATION. The reference here is to those Jews who had been scattered abroad over various countries through the Babylonian Captivity and other disastrous causes. The point is, that the restoration here promised is a temporal restoration to their own land and country. God is constantly restoring His people to those temporal blessings they have lost. He restores often —1. To lost health; 2. To lost property; 3. To lost social status.In all His people's distresses He bids them look to Him. II. A DIVINE SPIRITUAL RESTORATION. This may mean, I will become their God in good faith or in reality, both on their side and on Mine. This is incomparably the most important restoration. 1. Man may lose his God, and be "without God in the world." 2. The loss of God is the greatest loss. A man separated from God is like a branch separated from the root, a river from the fountain, a planet from the sun. 3. Restoration to God is the transcendent good. He who can say, "The Lord is my portion," possesseth all things. This restoration the Almighty is effecting now in the world. "He is in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself." (Homilist.) And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem The terms of this prediction carry us beyond any facts at that time existing, and refer to events then future. It predicts a return of the Jews from the West as well as the East, whilst at this time the only dispersion existing was toward the East in Babylon. Hence an universal dispersion is implied in this universal restoration, the terms, from East to West, being inclusive of the entire earth. This general dispersion did not occur until the final fall of Jerusalem, since which there has been no general restoration of the Jews, either in a literal or a figurative sense. Hence the main facts predicted are yet future. That they include a literal restoration of the Jews to their own land is probable, but that this is the main purport of the prophecy is just as improbable. There is something more than a mere political restoration required by the general drift of the prophecy, which is spiritual, not temporal, and which therefore demands a spiritual reunion to the spiritual theocracy, or the blood-bought and blood-washed Church of God. And this is particularly demanded by the covenant formula of ver. 8, "They shall be My people, and I will be their God," which is always the exponent of spiritual blessings, and the fact is put beyond all question by the explanatory addendum, "in truth and righteousness," which expressly affirms that this restoration and union are not to be outward, visible, and temporal, but inward, invisible, and spiritual. They will be a sincere and justified people, as He will be a true and pardoning God.(T. V. Moore, D. D.) People ZechariahPlaces Jerusalem, ZionTopics Bring, Dwell, Dwelt, Faith, Faithful, Faithfulness, Jerusalem, Midst, Righteous, Righteousness, TruthOutline 1. The restoration of Jerusalem.9. They are encouraged to build the temple by God's favor to them. 16. Good works are required of them. 18. Joy and blessing are promised. Dictionary of Bible Themes Zechariah 8:8Library Sad Fasts Changed to Glad Feasts"Thus saith 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 cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace."--Zechariah 8:19 MY time for discourse upon this subject will be limited, as we shall gather around the communion-table immediately afterwards. So in the former part of my sermon I shall give you an outline of what might be said upon the text if we had … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 38: 1892 The Temptation of Jesus Healing the Centurion's Servant. Concerning Peaceableness The Ninth Commandment Appendix ix. List of Old Testament Passages Messianically Applied in Ancient Rabbinic Writings Zechariah Links Zechariah 8:8 NIVZechariah 8:8 NLT Zechariah 8:8 ESV Zechariah 8:8 NASB Zechariah 8:8 KJV Zechariah 8:8 Bible Apps Zechariah 8:8 Parallel Zechariah 8:8 Biblia Paralela Zechariah 8:8 Chinese Bible Zechariah 8:8 French Bible Zechariah 8:8 German Bible Zechariah 8:8 Commentaries Bible Hub |