1 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 returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
God was jealous of the attention and worship given the false idols.
Idol worship is easier than God-worship. Idols you just have to perform certain ceremonies and make the right kinds of offerings and you’re good.
In God-worship you have to change your heart to be like God’s heart. You have to do what pleases Him in every area of life. You simply can’t be selfish.
4 Thus says the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age.
The oldest Jews wouldn’t have been able to return due to the rigors of the trip, but God promises that there will again be old people in the town, meaning there will be enough peace for long enough for people to grow old.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.
And have babies. (If this applies to our future, as many think, than Jesus was wrong when He said “they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage.” Luke 20:34, 36)
6 Thus says the LORD of hosts; If it be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in mine eyes? Says the LORD of hosts.
This seems like too much for those in Jerusalem to hope for at this point, but nothing is too hard for God.
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save My people from the east country, and from the west country;
Not only were there Jews as far away as Babylon but as far west as what we call Turkey and possibly farther.
8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
For a time the majority of Jews did truly worship God. In fact, those in captivity, especially in Babylon appear to have really gotten the message and have been serving God this whole time of captivity. And during the time of Christ, thousands of the common people accepted Him. It was the leadership that rejected Him.
9 Thus says the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
“Mark this time. You will always remember and brag that you were there when the foundation of the new temple was laid.”
10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.
There has been a drought in the land since they quit working on the Temple. Times have been very hard with no work for anyone.
11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts.
Things are changing.
12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
Judah, being located right on the Mediterranean Sea and just north of the equator, has an ideal climate for prosperous, exotic crops…IF it rains. God promises that rain.
13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
They are also in the path of the easiest trade route between Europe and Africa and between Asia and Africa. Trade is fixing to resume.
14 For thus says the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked Me to wrath, says the LORD of hosts, and I repented not:
15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
God didn’t go back on His promise to destroy them seventy years ago. He won’t go back on His promise to bless them now.
("Repent" means "to turn around, make a change.")
16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.
“If you want those blessings, don’t lie, be honest, be just and peaceful, don’t even think about doing evil to anyone, and keep all your promises.” This is still true today.
18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying,
Now to answer the question asked in chapter seven about keeping the time of mourning;
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, shall be to the house of Judah- joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.
“No, don’t hold days of mourning! Party Hearty! Celebrate!”
20 Thus says the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:
“I’m not done bringing people back here.”
21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.”
22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.
Not only did Jews from all over the known world come home, many others from other nationalities came too. Josephus tells us that one Ptolemyian king of Egypt even came and worshiped in the new temple.
23 Thus says the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, “We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”