"Get up! Get up! Flee from the land of the north," declares the LORD, "for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven," declares the LORD. Get up, get up!This phrase is a call to action, an urgent exhortation for the people to arise from their current state. In the Hebrew text, the repetition of "get up" (Hebrew: הוֹי הוֹי, "hoy hoy") serves to emphasize the urgency and importance of the command. This repetition is often used in prophetic literature to grab attention and convey the seriousness of the message. It is a divine wake-up call, urging the Israelites to prepare for a significant change or movement, often associated with leaving a place of captivity or spiritual stagnation. Flee from the land of the north
The "land of the north" refers to Babylon, where many Israelites were exiled. Historically, Babylon was located to the east of Israel, but invasions typically came from the north due to the geography of the region. The call to "flee" is a directive to leave behind the land of exile and return to the Promised Land. This is not just a physical journey but also a spiritual one, symbolizing a return to God's covenant and promises. The Hebrew word for "flee" (נוס, "nus") implies a sense of urgency and escape from danger, highlighting the need for immediate action. declares the LORD
This phrase underscores the authority and divine origin of the message. The use of "declares the LORD" (Hebrew: נְאֻם־יְהוָה, "ne'um-YHWH") is a common prophetic formula that authenticates the message as coming directly from God. It reassures the listeners that the command is not merely a human suggestion but a divine mandate, carrying the weight and certainty of God's sovereign will. for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven
The imagery of being "scattered like the four winds" conveys the extent and completeness of the dispersion of the Israelites. The "four winds" (Hebrew: אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, "arba ruḥot") symbolize the entirety of the earth, indicating that the people have been spread to all corners of the world. This scattering was a result of divine judgment due to their disobedience, yet it also sets the stage for a miraculous regathering. The phrase reflects God's control over the nations and His ability to gather His people from wherever they have been dispersed. declares the LORD
The repetition of this phrase at the end of the verse serves to bookend the divine message, reinforcing its importance and authenticity. It is a reminder that the entire message is enveloped in divine authority, ensuring that the hearers understand the seriousness and reliability of the prophecy. This repetition also serves to comfort the people, as it reassures them that their return and restoration are part of God's sovereign plan. Persons / Places / Events 1. ZechariahA prophet who ministered to the Jewish people after their return from Babylonian exile. His messages often contained visions and prophecies concerning the restoration of Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah. 2. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who speaks through Zechariah, urging His people to return to Him and to the land He promised them. 3. The Land of the NorthRefers to Babylon, where many Jews were exiled. It symbolizes places of captivity and spiritual bondage. 4. The Four Winds of HeavenA metaphor indicating the dispersion of the Jewish people across the earth, emphasizing God's sovereignty over all creation. 5. The Jewish ExilesThe people of Israel who were taken captive to Babylon and are now being called to return to their homeland. Teaching Points God's Call to ActionGod calls His people to actively respond to His commands. Just as the exiles were urged to leave Babylon, believers today are called to leave behind sin and spiritual complacency. Divine Sovereignty and CareThe scattering and gathering of God's people demonstrate His control over history and His care for His covenant people. Trust in God's plan, even when circumstances seem scattered or chaotic. Spiritual SeparationThe call to flee from Babylon is a call to holiness and separation from sin. Believers are to live distinct lives, set apart for God's purposes. Hope and RestorationGod's call to return is not just a physical journey but a spiritual one, promising restoration and renewal. Embrace the hope of God's promises and the restoration He offers through Christ. Obedience and FaithThe exiles' return required faith and obedience. Similarly, believers are called to trust and obey God's Word, even when it requires leaving comfort zones. Bible Study Questions 1. What does the "land of the north" represent in your life, and how can you respond to God's call to "flee" from it? 2. How does understanding God's sovereignty over the "four winds of heaven" impact your trust in His plans for your life? 3. In what ways can you practice spiritual separation from worldly influences, as symbolized by leaving Babylon? 4. How can the promise of restoration in Zechariah 2:6 encourage you in areas of your life that feel scattered or broken? 5. Reflect on a time when obedience to God's call required you to step out in faith. How did that experience strengthen your relationship with Him? Connections to Other Scriptures Jeremiah 29This chapter contains God's promise to bring the exiles back to Jerusalem, highlighting His faithfulness and plans for their future. Isaiah 48This passage also calls for the people to leave Babylon, emphasizing God's deliverance and the need for obedience. Revelation 18The call to "come out" of Babylon is echoed here, symbolizing the call for believers to separate from worldly systems opposed to God. People ZechariahPlaces Babylon, Jerusalem, ZionTopics Abroad, Affirmation, Declares, Dispersed, Flee, Flight, Forth, Heaven, Heavens, Ho, North, Says, Scattered, Sky, Spread, Wide, WindsDictionary of Bible Themes Zechariah 2:6 7212 exile Library The City Without Walls
'Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls.... For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.'--ZECHARIAH ii. 4, 5. Zechariah was the Prophet of the returning exiles, and his great work was to hearten them for their difficult task, with their small resources and their many foes, and to insist that the prime condition to success, on the part of that portion of the nation that had returned, was holiness. So his visions, of which …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScripturePrayer for the Lord's Promised Presence. Zech 2:10
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John Newton—Olney Hymns The Lord Reigneth
Hallelujah; for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! T he book of the Revelation, being chiefly prophetical, will not, perhaps, be fully understood, till the final accomplishment of the events shall draw near, and throw a stronger light upon the whole series. But while the learned commentators have been, hitherto, divided and perplexed in their attempts to illustrate many parts of it, there are other parts well adapted for the instruction and refreshment of plain Christians. Particularly, those passages …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting The Extent of Messiah's Spiritual Kingdom
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever! T he Kingdom of our Lord in the heart, and in the world, is frequently compared to a building or house, of which He Himself is both the Foundation and the Architect (Isaiah 28:16 and 54:11, 12) . A building advances by degrees (I Corinthians 3:9; Ephesians 2:20-22) , and while it is in an unfinished state, a stranger cannot, by viewing its present appearance, form an accurate judgment …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 John's Introduction.
^D John I. 1-18. ^d 1 In the beginning was the Word [a title for Jesus peculiar to the apostle John], and the Word was with God [not going before nor coming after God, but with Him at the beginning], and the Word was God. [Not more, not less.] 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him [the New Testament often speaks of Christ as the Creator--see ver. 10; I. Cor. viii. 6; Col. i. 13, 17; Heb. i. 2]; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. [This …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Noble Results of this Species of Prayer
The Noble Results of this Species of Prayer Some persons, when they hear of the prayer of silence, falsely imagine, that the soul remains stupid, dead, and inactive. But, unquestionably, it acteth therein, more nobly and more extensively than it had ever done before; for God Himself is the mover, and the soul now acteth by the agency of His Spirit. When S. Paul speaks of our being led by the Spirit of God, it is not meant that we should cease from action; but that we should act through the internal …
Madame Guyon—A Short and Easy Method of Prayer Covenanting Predicted in Prophecy.
The fact of Covenanting, under the Old Testament dispensations, being approved of God, gives a proof that it was proper then, which is accompanied by the voice of prophecy, affording evidence that even in periods then future it should no less be proper. The argument for the service that is afforded by prophecy is peculiar, and, though corresponding with evidence from other sources, is independent. Because that God willed to make known truth through his servants the prophets, we should receive it …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Gifts Received for the Rebellious
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them. W hen Joseph exchanged a prison for the chief honour and government of Egypt, the advantage of his exaltation was felt by those who little deserved it (Genesis 45:4, 5) . His brethren hated him, and had conspired to kill him. And though he was preserved from death, they were permitted to sell him for a bond-servant. He owed his servitude, …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 This State of Prayer not one of Idleness, but of Noble Action, Wrought by the Spirit of God, and in Dependence Upon Him --The Communication Of
Some people, hearing of the prayer of silence, have wrongly imagined that the soul remains inactive, lifeless, and without movement. But the truth is, that its action is more noble and more extensive than it ever was before it entered this degree, since it is moved by God Himself, and acted upon by His Spirit. St Paul desires that we should be led by the Spirit of God (Rom. viii. 14). I do not say that there must be no action, but that we must act in dependence upon the divine movement. This …
Jeanne Marie Bouvières—A Short Method Of Prayer And Spiritual Torrents Zechariah
CHAPTERS I-VIII Two months after Haggai had delivered his first address to the people in 520 B.C., and a little over a month after the building of the temple had begun (Hag. i. 15), Zechariah appeared with another message of encouragement. How much it was needed we see from the popular despondency reflected in Hag. ii. 3, Jerusalem is still disconsolate (Zech. i. 17), there has been fasting and mourning, vii. 5, the city is without walls, ii. 5, the population scanty, ii. 4, and most of the people …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Zechariah 2:6 NIVZechariah 2:6 NLTZechariah 2:6 ESVZechariah 2:6 NASBZechariah 2:6 KJV
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