God’s decision to bring about well-being among the people, and the way they should behave
8
Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 2 📚“Thus says the LORD of hosts 📖: I was jealous 📖 for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.3 📚“Thus says the LORD: I am returning to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. And 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 yet sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his cane in his hand because of age. 5 📚And the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.
6 📚“Thus says the LORD of hosts: If this is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in my eyes? says the LORD of hosts.
7 📚“Thus says the LORD of hosts: See, I will save my people 📖 from the east country, and from the west country, 8 📚and I will bring them, and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
8:7-8 God had already brought the Jews back to Jerusalem from various places. So this prophecy refers to a regathering of the Jews after that. See Amos 9:14-15; Isa 11:10-16.⚜
9 📚“Thus says the LORD of hosts: Let your hands be strong, you who have been hearing in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets 📖, who were in the day that the foundation 📖 of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built 📖. 10 📚For before these days 📖 there was no wage for man, or any wage for beast. And there was no peace for him who went out or came in, because of the enemy, for I set every one of the people against his neighbour. 11 📚But now 📖 I will not act toward the remnant of this people as in former days, says the LORD of hosts.
12 📚“For the seed will prosper, the vine will give its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the sky will give its dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess 📖 all these things. 13 📚And it will come about that just as you were a curse 📖 among the nations, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, so you will be a blessing 📖, for I will save you. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong 📖.
14 📚“For thus says the LORD of hosts: Just as I decided 📖 to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, says the LORD of hosts, and I did not relent, 15 📚so again I have decided in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not be afraid. 16 📚These are the things that you shall do: Every one of you must speak the truth 📖 to his neighbour. Administer justice in truth and peace in your gates 📖. 17 📚And let none of you plot evil in your hearts against his neighbour. And do not love any false oath. For all these are things that I hate 📖, says the LORD”.
8:16-17 Since God purposed to bless them and make them a blessing they had a responsibility to live according to God’s instructions.⚜
Fast days to become joyful festivals
18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 19 📚“Thus says 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 📖 month will be times of joy and gladness 📖 and cheerful feasts to the house of Judah. Therefore 📖 love truth 📖 and peace.
20 📚“Thus says the LORD of hosts: It will yet happen that people and the inhabitants of many cities will come, 21 📚and the inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, ‘Let us go quickly to pray in the LORD’s presence, and to seek the LORD of hosts. I also will go.’ 22 📚Yes, many people and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray in the LORD’s presence.
23 📚“Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days it will come about that ten men from every language of the nations will take hold of the sleeve of a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ”