Passage of the Day - March 17, 2011

Zechariah 8:18-23

¹⁸Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

 ¹⁹"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace.'

 ²⁰"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities.

 ²¹'The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, "Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go."

 ²²'So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.'

 ²³"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."'"

From John Wesley’s notes:

The fourth month — Wherein the city was taken by the Babylonians.

The fifth — In which the temple was burnt.

The seventh — Wherein Gedaliah was killed.

The tenth — On the tenth day whereof the king of Babylon's army sat down before the city.

From me:

Christ is the transitional figure in history.  God pretty much dealt exclusively with Jews until Christ came.  Jesus preached to the Jews and the Church was established in Jerusalem.  Now the whole world is a part of what started in Jerusalem.  Many pilgrimages are made to Jerusalem to this day.  The sadness over the destruction of Jerusalem became gladness when it was rebuilt, when it became the birthplace of the Christian Church, and when Christ returns to rule.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)