Zechariah 8:2

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS; I WAS JEALOUS FOR ZION WITH GREAT JEALOUSY - (). WITH GREAT FURY - against her oppressors. As "jealousy" implies God's great love to her, and zeal for His safety and honour; so "fury" expresses His indignation against her enemies....

He then says, that _the word of Jehovah came to him_; (78) we hence learn, that this was a distinct prophecy. He adds, _I have been zealous for Sion _(for as we have said, the letter ל, _lamed_, is to be thus taken) _with great zeal _(79) This was indeed an incredible change, for God had for a time restrained himself, while the ungodly at their pleasure harassed the Church, so that they thought that they could do so with impunity. As God then had for some time remained at rest, what the Prophet says here could not have been easily believed, that is, that God would, through a sudden jealousy, undertake the cause of the Church. Hence the indignation, immediately subjoined, must be regarded with reference to enemies, as though he had said, that all the ungodly would now perceive what they had by no means expected, — that God was the protector of Jerusalem. It now

1-8 The sins of Zion were her worst enemies. God will take away her sins, and then no other enemies shall hurt her. Those who profess religion must adorn their profession by godliness and honesty. When become a city of truth and a mountain of holiness, Jerusalem is peaceable and prosperous. Verses Zechariah 8:4; Zechariah 8:5, beautifully describe a state of great outward peace, attended with plenty, temperance, and contentment. The scattered Israelites shall be brought together from all parts. God will never leave nor forsake them in a way of mercy, for this he has promised them; and they shall never leave nor forsake him in a way of duty, as they have promised him. These promises were partly fulfilled in the Jewish church, betwixt the captivity and the time of Christ's coming; and they had fuller accomplishment...

Verse Zechariah 8:2. _I WAS JEALOUS_] Some refer this to the _Jews_ themselves. They were as the _spouse_ of Jehovah: but they were _unfaithful_, and God punished them as an _injured husband_ might be expected to punish an unfaithful wife. Others apply it to the _enemies of the_ _Jews_. Though I gave them a commission to afflict you, yet they exceeded their commission: I will therefore deal with them in _fury _- in _vindictive justice_....

THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS - Jerome: “At each word and sentence, in which good things, for their greatness, almost incredible are promised, the prophet premises, “Thus saith the Lord of hosts,” as if he would say, Think not that what I pledge you are my own, and refuse me not credence as man. What I unfold are the promises of God.” I WAS JEALOUS - Literally, “I have been and am jealous for.” . He repeats in words slightly varied, but in the same rhythm, the declaration of tits tender love wherewith He opened the series of visions, thereby assuring beforehand that this was, like that, an answer of peace. The form of words shows, that this was a jealousy for, not with her; yet it was one and the same strong, yea infinite love, whereby God, as He says, “clave unto their fathers to love them and chose their seed after them out of all nations”...

EXPOSITION ZECHARIAH 8:1 § 4. _The Lord promises to show his love for Zion, to dwell among his people, and to fill Jerusalem with a happy lace._ ZECHARIAH 8:1 AGAIN; rather, _and_. This chapter contains the second half of the Lord's answer concerning fasting, merging into prophecy. ZECHARIAH 8:2 THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS. This formula occurs ten times in this chapter, thus enforcing the truth that all the promises made to Zion come from the Lord himself, and are therefore sure to be fulfilled. I WAS JEALOUS;—_I am jealous, _as...

THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... This prophecy, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, respects time to come; the days of the Messiah, in the war of Gog and Magog, when they shall come up against Jerusalem, and the Lord shall pour out his great wrath upon them; and it seems right to interpret it, not only literally of Jerusalem, but spiritually of the church in Gospel times: I WAS JEALOUS FOR ZION WITH GREAT JEALOUSY; the Arabic version reads, "for Jerusalem, and for Zion"; as in Zechariah 1:14, Zechariah 1:14: AND I WAS JEALOUS FOR HER WITH GREAT FURY: that is, against her enemies; the Babylonians and Chaldeans now, and the antichristian powers in Gospel times. The Targum paraphrases it, "against the people that provoked her to jealousy"; the past te

Zechariah 8:1. _Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury._ Because they worshipped idols instead of the living God, Jehovah of hosts, who is a jealous God, was very angry with his ancient people, and allowed them to be carried away into captivity; and it is well for us, in these days, to recollect that we serve a jealous God, and that, if our hearts are not true to him, he will soon send us sharp afflictions, and make us feel the weight of his rod. It was Paul's anxious desire that he might be able to present the church at Corinth «as a chaste virgin to Christ;» and, certainly, our Lord Jesus Christ will not accept the professing church of these days on any other terms. Let thy heart be loyal and true to him, or else thou wilt stir up the holy jealou

CHAPTER 8 _ 1. The restoration announced (Zechariah 8:1) _ 2. The peace of Jerusalem (Zechariah 8:4) 3. The return to the land (Zechariah 8:6) 4. The blessing of the land and the people (Zechariah 8:9) Zechariah 8:1. The answer is now given to the question, and it is an answer which none of the petitioners expected. The answer is closely linked with the third night vision in chapter 2, for here is an enlarged prophecy concerning the restoration of Jerusalem. Jehovah was jealous for Jerusalem. The wrath

ZECHARIAH 8:4 F. A beautiful description of the result of the restoration of peace and safety. During the troublous past Jerusalem had been no place for feeble old age or for children. The sympathetic touch, playing in the streets thereof, is one of the very few indications in the OT of a love for children as such. Zechariah 8:7. with its refer. ence to the east and west looks like a later prophecy of the return from the Dispersion, Zechariah 8:10. is in agreement with Haggai 1:6; Haggai 2:16. It is noteworthy that the adversaries her