52 lines
8.5 KiB
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52 lines
8.5 KiB
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Text Commentaries</title>
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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Zec',2,'all');">Zec 2</a> - A City Without Walls</h2>
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<p>A. Call to Return to the Promised Land.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',2,'1-5');">1-5</a>) The man with the measuring line and the protection promised.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, "Where are you going?" And he said to me, "To measure Jerusalem, to see what <i>is </i>its width and what <i>is </i>its length." And there <i>was </i>the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, who said to him, "Run, speak to this young man, saying: 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited <i>as </i>towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,' says the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, 'will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.' "</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">A man with a measuring line in his hand</span></b>: This was undoubtedly an angelic being and some think it was the Angel of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. Angelic beings never truly become human beings but they can take human form.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">To see what is its width and what is its length</span></b>: Apparently Jerusalem is being measured to make sure that it is large enough for the multitudes God will bring to it. In the time of Zechariah it seemed strange to worry about Jerusalem being big enough, because there seemed to be too few people for the city.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. It is as if the <b><span class="c3">man with a measuring line</span></b> went into a huge old cathedral where only a few attended church and started to make sure it was large enough for the crowds God was sure to bring.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls . . . For I . . . will be a wall of fire all around her</span></b>: God promises to bring so many people to Jerusalem that the crowds will overflow the walls of the city - but that won't matter because God will be their protection, not walls. He will be <b><span class="c3">a wall of fire all around her</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. This prophecy had a short-term fulfillment in God's protection of the rebuilding, and blessing of the city under Ezra and Nehemiah; but clearly, its ultimate fulfillment is rebuilding under the rule of the Messiah.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. Today Jerusalem is indeed a city <b><span class="c3">without walls</span></b>, because in modern warfare they are useless in defending the city. Ultimately Jerusalem will be a city <b><span class="c3">without walls</span></b> because the prince of peace will reign from Jerusalem and He will be her protection.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',2,'6-7');">6-7</a>) Exiles exhorted to return.</p>
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<p class="c2">"Up, up! Flee from the land of the north," says the <span class="c6">Lord</span>; "for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven," says the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. "Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Flee from the land of the north</span></b>: In Zechariah's day few of those who were carried to captivity in the Babylonian Empire returned to the Promised Land when they were allowed to. Here the <span class="c6">Lord</span> exhorts His people to return back to their land.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Sadly most of the exiles were comfortable in Babylon and refused to endure the challenge to build a work of God.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon</span></b>: Throughout the Bible <b><span class="c3">Babylon</span></b> is used as an idea as well as a city. If Jerusalem carried the idea of "God's city" then <b><span class="c3">Babylon</span></b> carries the idea of the city of the world. Zechariah's call to come out of <b><span class="c3">Babylon</span></b> is both literal and figurative (<a onclick="return mV('Rev',18,'4-5');">Rev 18:4-5</a>).</p>
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<p>B. Reasons for rejoicing.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',2,'8-9');">8-9</a>) God promises to protect His precious people.</p>
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<p class="c2">For thus says the <span class="c6">Lord</span> of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. "For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the <span class="c6">Lord</span> of hosts has sent Me."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">He who touches you touches the apple of His eye</span></b>: The phrase "<b><span class="c3">apple of His eye</span></b>" was used to describe something precious, easily injured and demanding protection.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "<span>He esteems them as much as men value their eyesight, and is as careful to protect them from injury, as men are to protect the apple of their eye. The pupil of the eye is the tenderest part of the tenderest organ, and very fitly sets forth the inexpressible tenderness of God's love." (Spurgeon)</span></p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">They shall become spoil for their servants</span></b>: God promises that those who enslaved the people of God will <b><span class="c3">become spoil</span></b> for them - the enslavers will become enslaved. This will be ultimately fulfilled in the millennial reign of Jesus.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">I will shake My hand against them</span></b>: All God needs to do to bring such a dramatic reversal of standing is to <b><span class="c3">shake</span></b> his <b><span class="c3">hand</span></b> against the enemies of His people.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',2,'10-13');">10-13</a>) The promise of the presence of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>.</p>
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<p class="c2">"Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," says the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. "Many nations shall be joined to the <span class="c6">Lord</span> in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the <span class="c6">Lord</span> of hosts has sent Me to you. "And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flesh, before the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!"</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion</span></b>: God doesn't expect His people to be passive or "cool" in view of such dramatic promises. He expects them to <b><span class="c3">sing and rejoice</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">I am coming and will dwell in your midst</span></b>: The first reason why God's people should be excited is because He will be <i>among them</i> in a unique and powerful way.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Many nations shall be joined to the <span class="c6">Lord</span> in that day</span></b>: The second reason for joy is that God will bring many into His Kingdom. God's desire to bless for Israel was never intended to stop with Israel, but to use them as a channel of blessing for <b><span class="c3">many nations</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">In the Holy Land</span></b>: This is the only place where the phrase <b><span class="c3">Holy Land</span></b> is used in the Bible. The land is holy because it is separated unto God in a unique way. Some assume that it is only the <i>people</i> of Judah and Jerusalem that are God's holy inheritance but passages like this show that <b><span class="c3">land</span></b> itself is <b><span class="c3">holy</span></b> and precious to God.</p>
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