Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Zechariah 8:18 - 8:23

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - Zechariah 8:18 - 8:23


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The Extent of the Messianic Influence

v. 18.
And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me, saying,

v. 19.
Thus saith 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, special days of fasting and affliction which the Jews had observed during their captivity in memory of certain dark days in the history of their nation, Cf Zec_7:3, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness and cheerful feasts, festivals of highest happiness, since the Lord intended to pour out upon them such a multitude of blessings as to make them forget all the disagreeable facts in their past history and to rejoice in the goodness and mercy of their God; therefore love the truth and peace, this reaction on the part of the Jews being a necessary consequence of their appreciation of the Lord's goodness and mercy.

v. 20.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, It shall yet come to pass that there shall come people, representatives of many nations, and the inhabitants of many cities, of the foremost centers of the world;

v. 21.
and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, in mutually encouraging and admonishing one another, saying, Let us go speedily, literally, "Going let us go, with speed and earnestness," to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts, in an invitation and exhortation to worship the one true God; I will go also, the vivid form of speech showing the alacrity with which men would respond.

v. 22.
Yea, many people and strong nations, the foremost countries of the world, shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, to become members of His holy congregation, and to pray before the Lord, to worship Jehovah.

v. 23.
Thus saith 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, that is, men of so many different nations, speaking so many different tongues, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, in great eagerness, saying, We will go with you, casting their lot with the people of the Lord in every way, for we have heard that God is with you. This has been fulfilled time and again during the New Testament era, when people from various nations have actually come and begged Christian missionaries to come to them and preach the Gospel. The glorious conversion of Gentile nations in the age of the Gospel dispensation is here clearly foretold, and in a most graphic manner.