Significance and the ratifying of the covenant... a study in Exodus 24

 Introduction

 I’ve often wondered what it would be like to get a phone call from someone well known, say Donald Trump no matter his political ratings or Patrick Mahomes. Maybe the head of an organization I’ve always appreciated or a famous scientist. Let’s say they saw something I wrote or said and they want to come by or that he would be in my area and maybe I would have time to meet up with him and a few colleagues. What a hoot! I would certainly want verification that the caller was the person of note. But then quickly I would agree to meet with him and whoever, and immediately my previous plans would change. 

We would no doubt make time for those whom we deem very significant. 

Sometimes we label what we do on weekends at synagogue or church a ‘meeting.’ This gerund is a reminder that we are doing something when we gather. We meet with one another certainly. But committees don’t really tend to do much.  Remember what Fred Allen, the American comic said? “A conference is a gathering of important people who singly can do nothing but together can decide that nothing can be done.”  Or this from Barnetta Cocks: “A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled.” 

Obviously, that’s not what I’m referencing. I’m talking about a meeting together with someone of significance. And in the biblical sense, we are talking about meeting up with God.

In our story today, from Exodus 24, the elders of the Jewish people gather with Moses and others to meet and visit with God. The entourage is significant; the point of the meeting is even greater. What to do when meeting with significance and how to see your own limitations—these will shape this lesson. Also, we will talk about ratifying an agreement, like the covenant of God.  And one final thought on listening to the Significant One.

When Henry Norris Russell, the Princeton astronomer, had concluded a lecture on the Milky Way, a woman came to him and asked, "If our world is so little, and the universe is so great, can we believe God really pays any attention to us?" Dr. Russell replied, "That depends, madam, entirely on how big a God you believe in." (Today in the World, Feb 89, p. 12.)

So today we will talk about the size of God and how to believe in Him as well.

How to determine significance

Even the most humble or religious among us are often concerned with human enterprise. We want to get to the train on time, or to eat at a good place for lunch. I’m currently on a Greek island with my wife on a holiday and want the best theatre or metro car with the best air conditioning. Some want recognition from our employers. We wouldn’t mind a few of those creature comforts they sell on late night television, while we are listing things desired. Even in religious gatherings we want to be healed or at the meeting, to be singing our favorite songs or hear our favorite preacher or get things the way we like them. That’s why so many shop for the better congregation so often. It’s not about God; it’s about them.

Here in our text, we start with a significance being given to Moses and to the leaders. Moses is preeminent, but he includes others. Who is there? There are the 70, along with Joshua and some others. Joshua of course is the future leader, very early introduced as groomed to be leader. The 70 may be a reflection and an honor given in the name of Jacob, whose 70 joined him on the way to Egypt. Thus, they gain their significance from being ‘related’ to Jacob. Also, we see Moses’ brother who is part of the first worship service there on the mountain, and who will remain in charge below, along with Hur, who also held up Moses’ arms in the battle with Amalek a few chapters ago. Nadav and Avihu are the oldest sons of Aaron and will figure later in worship in an informing, albeit incorrect, method of worship. So, our cast of characters is almost complete. We have one more actor who acts as a unit. It’s the chorus who sings for us twice and who are the single/corporate recipient of the ratification prize, the covenant agreement. They have the blood of some animals sprinkled on them. Oy, there goes my fashion statement! They also have two lines in the drama. Very similar but one of great significance. You’ll see that soon.

And if you really want to see significance, look at how the text depicts the Almighty. He’s glorious; he’s beautiful; he’s sitting near a sky-blue lined road with immensity and power. Just the dazzle of His presence is enough to cry “SIGNIFICANT!” By the way, the word ‘significant’ is defined as ‘the quality of having importance or being regarded as having great meaning’, among other definitions and my favorite is ‘relating to the occurrence of events or outcomes that are too closely linked statistically to be mere chance.’

Seeing your own insignificance

Nothing could be more dramatically demonstrated than the insignificance of the Israelites in today’s section.  The Almighty is showing His glory, but only a few see it. All the people are down at the foot of the mountain. Imagine the leaders, the pillars of Jewish community, standing up the Blue Mountains in say, Springwood or Blackheath, and the rest of the people are gathered at the Penrith train station. We are distant and we are remote. We have no place with God, and we have no capacity to hear from Him. We are separated; the gulf is too great.

This may be the most important lesson you can learn about spirituality in your life. Who you are not is the basis of all spiritual learning. Humility is another way of saying this, but it’s characterized in this notion of inability. The author named O. Hallesby used to say that the first lesson in prayer is our distance from God. He called it helplessness. You won’t look for a life raft or a rope from a passing ship if you think you can swim alone in the ocean. When you finally admit your inabilities, you will begin to find answers. It may take a while, but you will find them. It’s all summed up for us in knowing who you are not.

Ratifying an agreement

It’s common for people to make contracts and seek legal advice. And once the contracts are read and signed, there is a ratification process. The witnesses on the contract also sign it. The lawyers might pass it on to a governmental agency that seals the agreement that others have made. You see this in marriage as the partners sign together, the rabbi agrees with his signature, and then the government ratifies the agreement/contract/ covenant, even sending you a copy of your marriage license if you pay enough money to them. 

Here in the text, the people make a covenant with God and then Moses ratifies it with blood. Not a usual method or symbol. A wedding ring after all keeps much better. Some comments from the NIV commentary on this passage:

The division of the blood points to the twofold aspect of the blood of the covenant: The blood on the altar symbolizes God’s forgiveness and acceptance of the offering; the blood on the people points to a blood oath that binds them in obedience. In other words, the keeping of the words and laws was made possible by the sacrificial blood of the altar. 

8 The blood by which the covenant was ratified and sealed was the basis for the union between the Lord and the people. This phrase becomes most important in the NT (Mt 26:28; Mk 14:24; Lk 22:20; 1Co 11:25; Heb 9:20; 10:29; also, Heb 12:24; 13:20; 1Pe 1:2).

The Chorus’ Lines

The people say (v. 7) “All that the Lord has spoken we will do…and we will obey.” Or as I would translate (unlike any other translation) “What God said we will do, and we will listen, really we will.” I’m thinking that the listening/obedience is a connection. In other words, we must know what we are supposed to do by listening and then we are required to perform what we have heard. (James 2.12, Rev. 1.3, Luke 11.28) “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it”) But that’s not enough, and then we have to keep on listening to further instructions. I think that’s where most of us religious people fail. We listen just enough to get some beginning information. We might even do well with accomplishing it. But then, things get a bit tough, and we say, we have heard enough. We know enough. We are doing the best we can. We don’t need to hear anything else. What a waste. What a desperate shame.

The Shema is the watchword in Judaism. But it’s often the thing we don’t do the most. Listen, Israel, that’s what Shema means. Hey, don’t miss this. Don’t be listening to each other. Don’t be eavesdropping on the nations. Don’t give yourself to past tapes… there is new and fulfilling information out there. Keep listening.

And the most famous ‘keep listening’ is related to the Messiah. Listen to the text from the opening words in the book of Hebrews:

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.  And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (1.1-3)

If Israel stopped listening to the voice of the Lord, we would have missed out on the ‘Final Word’ that came to humanity in Yeshua. That’s just what happened to so many of our Jewish people. We stopped hearing, but God did not stop speaking! Those with ears to hear will hear what we say about Yeshua.

Lessons learned

I believe we should see applications from our chapter today. 

1)    Knowing who you are not…allows you to know who is, and to meet personally with the God of the universe

2)    God longs to be in relationship with all people, especially those who hear Him

3)    Jesus is God’s Final Word to humanity, and speaks forth the excellencies of the Lord to all who truly listen

4)    Proximity to God doesn’t always guarantee perpetuity

5)    Knowing God is the most relevant and significant reality known or as yet unknown to man

More New Testament connection

 Moses alone functioned as the mediator of the covenant. He alone sprinkled the blood on the people. And in a few weeks, his role increases. To those who are familiar with the passages of the Newer Testament, Yeshua fulfills this ministry in himself as well. He is the only mediator of the better covenant.  (Hebrews 8.6) It’s better because it’s eternal, it’s enacted on better promises, and is fulfilled in the one who won’t fail at all, but in fact, has succeeded and is now sat down to demonstrate his success.

His blood was better than the blood of bulls and goats. If you saw ‘the movie’ then you know there was a lot of blood spilled by Jesus in his last few hours. And it’s the receiving of the blood, that is, the belief in him, the faith in him that gives us a guarantee of the covenant. The ratification is complete when we speak our faith in Jesus to Him and to others. He sprinkles us clean and makes us born again. (Num. 19.19, Isa. 52.15, Heb. 9.10-15)

Covenant of Hope (Zechariah chapter 8)

 OUT OF THE CHAOS: A study in the book of Zechariah

Covenant is a word most people don’t use in modern days. Instead, we speak of contracts, agreements, legal documentation. They all play a role in our conversation, certainly in Canberra and at the UN, but covenant? Not so much. However, considering God who deals with the Jewish people in a covenantal manner, based on what has been titled Old Covenant or New Covenant, a massive number of relationships, promises, benefits and such eventuate. Today we are going to see in Zechariah chapter 8 an unpacking of such promises and benefits for the Jewish people, as a good answer to some previously posed questions. There will be follow-up as well, which splashes over into the 3^rd section of this book, but we will get there later. 

If you don’t mind, please read the chapter before you come to the class live, and if you are watching YouTube, pause your playback, read chapter 8 and then re-join us. Thanks.

At the beginning of chapter 7 some folks came to the prophet with questions, specifically about Temple memorialization. Since the Temple was destroyed 70 or so years previously, and we created fast days to recall those events, AND since the Temple is being rebuilt, should we continue to fast on those days? Should we mourn?

As Zechariah seeks to answer those good questions, he calls into evidence what he has previously addressed in chapters 1 through 7 and under the banner of the word ‘covenant’, he explains and answers the fasting question. Oh, and then the concept of Gentiles being brought near finishes the chapter, and that will inform us as well. 

One last overarching thought if I might. Last night I attended the AFL match between the St Kilda Saints and the Sydney Swans. It started and ended badly for the home side. Two things were happening: 1) it was Lance Franklin’s 350^th AFL game which is amazing currently. So many other factors knock most players out long before reaching that milestone. 2) It was what some titled the “Pride” game. That’s a night when crossdressers and drag queens, rainbow-toting-flag-wavers and others in the alphabet soup of homosexuality got to identify, wear costumes, and parade a bit before the 30,000 in the stands. When I was a kid, even up to a couple of years ago, the month of June was a month for dads and grads in the USA. And rainbows had to do with God’s promise never to destroy the world by flood again. It was the sign of a covenant (Genesis 9.17). Clear as crystal. But now both the covenant and the sign have been supplanted by pride. Remember the proverb says, “Pride goes before a fall.” (Prov. 16.18). Today we will remind ourselves that covenants are not to be messed with. And pride is to be rejected out of hand. Let’s jump in.

Seven times in this chapter we read the phrase, “Thus says the Lord of hosts.” 

כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת

As a Bible teacher and a public speaker, one of the things I’ve been taught is to limit my use of God’s name or names to emphasize my points. Let me use prayers to explain. I find it almost silly in prayer that some folks over-repeat God’s identity to him, for instance. “Father, I want to thank you, Lord, for being, Lord, ever looking to help us, oh God. Jesus, you are so awesome and gracious, and Father, today, El Shaddai, bring your might and goodness, Father, to bear in my situation. Oh God,….dot, dot, dot…” You get it. In the same way, I don’t turn to my wife in dinner conversation and say, “Dear Patty, lover of my soul, and delight of my heart, would you please, oh Mother of my children, bring me a spoon, Patty, best Grandmother in the world, so that I might eat this soup?” A bit much. I imagine she would say, “You have my attention. You don’t need to seek to gain it again.” 

And I’ve taken that less-is-more philosophy when speaking about the Almighty. And most of the time in the record of Scripture, he doesn’t need to repeat himself, so when he does, I think it’s very helpful both to notice that and to see it as a highlight and not a mistake for which his marks should be lowered as if on an exam or writing assignment. 

Seven times God makes a declaration through the prophet. Those seven reflect both a reiteration of the first seven chapters and the character of God, but at the same time increase the promises listed there. I see this as a sovereign reminding his people of his covenant that he made with them. I take this personally. God is in covenant with the Jewish people (not the new covenant, not yet) and he wants us to be comforted and assured of the benefits he still intends to accomplish and produce.

1.    The City of Jerusalem is rebuilt (.1-.6)

Verse one. The word of the Lord came to him. Again. This is not made up. 

Verse two. Thus says the Lord of armies (Hosts). I am jealous. Three times I’m jealous. For Zion. (Reflects Zech. 1.14)  

“Here the prophet proclaims the message once again that Yahweh cares deeply about his chosen city. Jealousy is an ambivalent term. It is a strong emotion expressed in an intolerance of rivals. It can be good or evil, depending on the legitimacy of the rival.” (Smith)

Sometimes when God is jealous over Zion, he lashes out in disappointment with them when they fail. (Deut. 29:20–28; Ezek. 5:13; 16:38, 42; 23:25). And at other times, like here, his jealousy provokes him to support Zion over against all the other nations of the world. Hence the “jealous with great wrath” of verse 2 against foreign powers who have captivated us. 

The second great saying is in verse 3. Here we see the raising up of the city to City of Truth (or Faithful City) and the hills to Holy Mountain. 

Renaming is often characteristic of covenantal action by a sovereign or a suzerain. And the promise includes Shachanti (I will dwell with), which sounds like Wilderness and Tabernacle truths. Even perhaps the glory returning. Shechinah!

As in Chapter 1.16, the promise is for physical return to the Land. And not only for Jewish people, but also for God to return. Which sounds like he left and thus must return to be with us. 

The third declaration and promise is found in verses 4 and 5. The promise of returning and living in gladness in Jerusalem. Remember that the Temple is currently being rebuilt in Zechariah’s days and most of the Jewish people are not yet living there. And here it’s both the old, both the men and women, and the children, both boys and girls. No one is left out. All of them often depicted as set-aside-folks, now being able to play in the streets together. Safely. And with a reflection of chapter 2 verse 4. 

What do I mean about young and old as being set aside? When the exiles began to return, it was the middle group, the able and strong-bodied, the military who returned first. They had to rebuild. We didn’t send old folks to rebuild the Temple. Or to fix up the highways or the farms. Society often measures itself on the status of those who run businesses and the other city dwellers. Children and aged—often overlooked—will be seen here in this Jerusalem as sporting life. 

Smith said, “Long life and children were thought of in the OT as blessings from God (Prov. 3:2; 9:10–11; Ps. 127:3; 128:3–4).”

Promise or saying #4 is found in verse 6. It’s a reflection of nothing else in previous chapters!

 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?’ declares the LORD of hosts.

I hear this as a pause in the reminding statements to declare something greater, something that underscores this entire review. God is able. Nothing is too difficult for him. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can stop him. He is Pela. 

יִפָּלֵ֗א Wonderful. The same word of miracles. The same word used in Isaiah of the Son to be given to us from a virgin. You want to see God work? Nothing is too difficult for him. (Jer. 32.17, .27) This is a grand word of assurance, even reassurance.

Calvin said, “Nothing is more preposterous than to seek to measure God’s power by our own understanding”.

2.    People of Israel are regathering (.7)

The 5^th saying covers two verses. 7 and 8. And as before is a rehearsal of the earlier promise found in 2.6-7. God will save and restore his people. Save from the land of the east and the land of the west. The Hebrew uses the words for sunrise (Mizrach) and the setting of the sun, and we take it to mean ‘all nations.’ In chapter 2 it referenced the ‘land of the north.’ Here I don’t read this as a specific nation east or west of Zechariah. Rather this is a merism.

3.    The relationship between Israel and God is being restored. (.8)

A merism is a rhetorical device (or figure of speech) in which a combination of two contrasting parts of the whole refer to the whole. For example, to say that someone "searched everywhere", we say the merism "searched high and low". The Psalmist said, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Ps. 103.12)

‘The whole’ is in view in Zechariah’s words.

4.    The land of Israel is being refreshed. (.9-13) 

Verse 9 is saying #6 and is much longer. Verse 9 to 13. It reminds the people that prosperity is coming so keep to the task of Temple building. Strong hands (v. 9 and .13) is a call to duty and perseverance. It’s a flashback to chapter 3.10 and chapter 4.6-10. I like that God uses the word ‘peace’ for assurance. Think about who is rebuilding the Temple. Yes, there would be 20-year-olds who never saw the land and the building in its day. They were born in Babylon and only heard stories of Jerusalem past. 

Now they are back. They have ideas about what it should look like and what the fields and the villages around should be. What should be planted and who should be doing what with whom. If you’ve ever been involved in leadership decisions in areas where blueprints were not exactly forthcoming, you will know what I’m addressing. Peace is the last thing that rules the roost. Often, it’s the loudest or the strongest, almost the bulliest that gets his or her way. 

Have you watched any television shows like Survivor or the recently telecast series in Australia called “The Summit?” People had to accomplish various goals over and over, and no one was presented as the leader. Each episode is filled with the complications that arose. The missing word is ‘peace’ and rightly did God say so here. 

5.    The covenant standards will be renewed. (Verses 14 to 19) 

Finally, the 7^th statement, again with the Ko omar Adonai Ts’vaot introduction is found in verse 14 to 17. It’s a rehearsal of chapter 7.8-14, and again goes beyond the original. Here God says that in the same measure, the same proportion of harm he intended to bring on the Jewish people 70 years previously, now he intends goodness and blessing on the children and grandchildren. Oh, may it be in my family and in yours!

And in verse 16, we hear his commands, his expectation, the reversal of the behaviour that caused the Exile in the first place. Live right. Judge right. Speak right. And all will be right. 

Look, when things are bad, and you know they shouldn’t be bad, and you were part of the cause of the turn of events, you are more inclined to listen to the way out of the trouble. 

Have you ever led a team on a scavenger hunt? Or in an escape room? Or some kids around the block to a cool fire you ‘just have to see?’ If you are the leader of a pack, and you hit a brick wall, you are more inclined to say, “oops, where is the way out?” 

Here in Zechariah, if you know your guilt, and you have heard the words from the grandparents and parents, and now from heaven and God’s representative prophet, you will listen more intently. Think of Aaron, in Acharei Mot, after the death of his two older sons, Aaron is going to listen more closely, because of his losses.  (Lev. 16.1ff)

Israel’s history was replete with prophets who spoke good words and those who spoke bad words. And the ‘former prophets’ clearly were the ones who spoke words of warnings and Israel disregarded those fellows. Statement 7 is both a warning and a charge to keep, to live right and you will live securely in the land of promise. 

Verses 13 and 15 remind us not to fear. If you are in God’s heart and in God’s hands, you have no reason to fear. Amen?

I want you to note, and I agree with Bishop Stead here, that the covenant renewal of verses 18 to 23 are a renewal of the Old Covenant, not the new one promised in Jeremiah.  (Stead, page 130)

Verses 18 and 19 are the final answer to the question posed in chapter 7 by the emissaries. Should we keep fasting? The answer is yes and no. As I said last week, when foreign nations are still ruling you, with severity, yes, keep all those fasts. When foreign nations are ruling you, but without severity, you may keep fasting as a reminder, but it’s not obligatory. When you are in your own land, with a Temple, sovereignly self-ruling, you should turn those fasts into feasts!

6.    The Gentiles can be redeemed (.20-23) 

Verses 20-23 give us a glimpse once again of the role of Israel viz the nations. We are to welcome them, and to teach them. We are to allow them to grab hold of our tzitzit and enable their finding the living God. 

Let me share with you the outline from Warren Weirsbe, if you want to package these sayings into an outline that might be easier to remember.  Weirsbe says verses 1 to 6 are about the city of Jerusalem being rebuilt. Verse 7 is about the people of Israel regathering. Verse 8 is the relationship between Israel and God being restored. Verses 9 to 13 is the land of Israel being refreshed. Verses 14 to 19 show the covenant standards will be renewed and finally, verses 20-23 indicate the Gentiles will be redeemed. 

Sometimes Weirsbe’s alliterations are forced, but I think you might like the flow of these sections or lines. 

No matter how you break this chapter down, it’s about promises for Israel and by clear hint, promises for the nations. Even those who were earlier in the prophecy labelled as ‘in trouble.’ 

Maybe you have felt that way, perplexed about the uncertainties of this life, distressed about things not working out the way you planned them to work out. Listen, God wants the best for you. For those who love God he works everything for good. If you want God’s best, you have to give your life to him, and submit to his lordship. He wants us to be the City of Truth and the Holy Mountain. Are you ready? Willing? Able? If so, please pray and ask God to be your Saviour and Lord. 

Yeshua is God’s eternal answer, the Temple not made with hands, the place of worship and connection with God. God’s covenant is extended to us as First Receivers and then to the nations, one by one, and individuals, one by one, who take a new Sovereign as Lord of their lives. That’s how this religion works!

Remember, you who are watching today, if you are not yet a follower of Yeshua, and see his love for you, his kindness extended, his offer of forgiveness available, right where you are, submit to him, to his lordship, to his care, and your life will take on new meaning, new substance, and you will have mates on this call, and in your neighbourhood and wherever you travel… the Kingdom is advancing under the King. Chaos is subjugated, life is available.

Would you like that? Pray with me just now. (Prayer Sample)

Shabbat shalom!

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Resource on video

To see a fun video overview of the book of Zechariah see this from Bible Project:

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/zechariah/

 

Bibliography:

Ryken, Leland (and others), Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1998.

Smith, Ralph, Micah to Malachi: Word Biblical Commentary (Volume 32), Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1984.

Stead, Michael, Zechariah: The Lord Returns, Aquila Press, Sydney, 2015.

Webb, Barry, The Message of Zechariah: Your Kingdom Come, Intervarsity Press, Nottingham, 2003.

Wiersbe, Warren, Be Heroic: Demonstrating Bravery by your Walk, David C. Cook Press, Colorado Springs, 1997.

 

ACTUAL TEXT

Zech. 8:1   Then the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, ² “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.’ ³ “Thus says the LORD, ‘I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.’ ⁴ “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age. ⁵ ‘And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.’ ⁶ “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?’ declares the LORD of hosts. ⁷ “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; ⁸ and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.’

 

Zech. 8:9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built. ¹⁰ ‘For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no peace because of his enemies, and I set all men one against another. ¹¹ ‘But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ¹² ‘For there will be peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit; the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. ¹³ ‘It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong.’

 

Zech. 8:14 “For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and I have not relented, ¹⁵ so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear! ¹⁶ ‘These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates. ¹⁷ ‘Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate,’ declares the LORD.”

 

Zech. 8:18   Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, ¹⁹ “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so, love truth and peace.’

 

Zech. 8:20 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. ²¹ ‘The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favour of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go.” ²² ‘So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favour of the LORD.’ ²³ “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’”