The Remnant of all the Called

Zechariah 8:11-23

11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,'
says the LORD of hosts.

12 'For the seed shall be prosperous,
The vine shall give its fruit,
The ground shall give her increase,
And the heavens shall give their dew—

I will cause the remnant of this people
To possess all these.

13 And it shall come to pass
That just as you were a curse among the nations,
O house of Judah and house of Israel,
So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.

Do not fear,
Let your hands be strong.'

14 "For thus says the LORD of hosts:
Just as I determined to punish you
When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,'
Says the LORD of hosts,
And I would not relent,

15 So again in these days
I am determined to do good
To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

Do not fear.

16 These are the things you shall do:

Speak each man the truth to his neighbor;
Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
17 Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor;
And do not love a false oath.

For all these are things that I hate,'
Says the LORD."

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 month,
The fast of the fifth,
The fast of the seventh,
And the fast of the tenth,
Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts
For the house of Judah.

Therefore love truth and peace.'

20 "Thus says the LORD of hosts:
'Peoples shall yet come,
Inhabitants of many cities;

21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,
"Let us continue to go and pray before the LORD,
And seek the LORD of hosts.

I myself will go also."

22 Yes, many peoples and strong nations
Shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem,
And to pray before the LORD.'

23 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."'"

There was a remnant left of God’s called people whom He had chosen to redeem after disciplining them all.  He would once more prosper them to make them fruitful as He watered them from the heavens.  He would give them back the land taken from them in their captivity.  Saving them from their sins, those who had become a curse to others through their sins of immortality and idolatry would become a blessing to others as He originally designed (Genesis 12:2).  Therefore they were reminded to no fear punishment or God’s goodness and mercy that they were due.  This is a picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ who takes away eternal punishment by unearned and undeserved grace so we no longer have to fear the eternal consequences of punishment for our sin (1 John 4:18).  God has to punish sin just as He told Israel then, and that justice has been meted out on our divine Savior as the God man anointed for our sacrifice to atone for His called remnant of the world’s creation forever.  We are called out of every corner of the world’s nations to join that remnant of Israel together as His chosen children of grace and mercy.  This passage in Zechariah is but a foretaste of this work which was hidden as a mystery for so long (Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:26-27) but has now been revealed to us in the Christ called Jesus.  We have trusted His word concerning His work on the cross and believed His resurrection as added proof to His words to us.  We then turned from our sin to Him and have been born again!  Because of all this grace, we must join those of Israel in doing what is right, not to earn salvation from sin’s punishment, but to live in pleasing Him who called us to good works (Ephesians 2:8-10) after His grace saved us.   We are to speak truth to one another, exercise fairness apart from personal favoritism, and peace with others as opposed to conflict and strife.  We are to stop hating others, lying to them, or even thinking for evil to come upon them as in vengeance or jealousy.  God hates all these things.  How can we not hate them also?  We are to love, yes love truth and peace.  Those of Israel were promised that if they pursued these things which make for life and peace (Romans 14:19) that the nations around them would come for answers and hope from them.  We ourselves are of the remnant of all who heard the call to repentance and faith.  This is the wooing of the gospel which we preach and live to draw men and women to Him (John 12:32).  Let us join them in going from place to place with this message as we pray for them and seek Him in how we live.  May we also say, “I myself will go also.”   Then others will hear and see that God is with us and join us as we journey to worship Him together.