Evidence of favour.
"Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Let your hands be strong," etc. In the beginning of these verses we have the opposite of that with which the previous verses concluded. There God confirmed his people in hoping for certain comparatively proximate blessings by assuring them of other and greater blessings which he designed afterwards to bestow. Here he confirms their hopes of what is more distant by pledging himself, as it were, to what is nearer. And this he does, we shall find, by drawing their attention
I. THE MERICES OF THE PRESENT. (Zechariah 8:9-13.) Three things, especially, to be noted regarding these.
1. How marked their character! Great temporal mercies (Zechariah 8:12) are to be "now" (Zechariah 8:11)—abundant produce both in the open "ground" and cultivated enclosure, abundant blessing both in the soil itself and in that which came on it. These also all the more notable for coming after a widely different state of things, when, besides utter want (Zechariah 8:10), even for those most desirous to work, there was the common concomitant of such evils, viz. home dissension and strife; and that, wherever men were and whatever they did (see also Haggai 2:16, Haggai 2:17, describing those same evil days). Who could avoid seeing and admiring so blessed a change?
2. How striking their connection! This happy change in their circumstances had taken place simultaneously with a corresponding change in their doings. From the very day when, as it were, for the second time they "laid the foundation" of God's house (Zechariah 8:9; Ezra 4:24; Ezra 5:1, Ezra 5:2), God had begun to prosper thus the work of their hands. "Before" then (Zechariah 8:10) was trouble; but now (Zechariah 8:11) I am not (so some) as before. This, too, we find occurring (see Haggai 1:9-11; Haggai 2:15-19) in accordance with express promise to this effect.
3. How hopeful their bearing! What was all this but plain evidence of a corresponding change, as it were, up above? And what might not be expected in future, such being the case? Even all promised in Zechariah 8:13, viz. that God's people should become as conspicuous new for their prosperity as formerly for their adversity (see also Jeremiah 24:9; Jeremiah 25:18; Jeremiah 42:18, etc.). Much as when, from the very day on which a certain remedy is first employed, a sick man begins to improve. How easy then to believe the physician's assurance that he shall ultimately become better than ever!
II. THE JUDGMENTS OF THE PAST. This conviction further confirmed by going till further back in their history. For doing so shows:
1. The steadfastness of God's purposes. (Zechariah 8:14, Zechariah 8:15.) When the state of things is such as to call for judgment, ye have seen how the thought of such judgment is carried out by me. Learn from this, when things, as at present, are different, to rely on the stone steadfastness on my part.
2. So to describe it, the easiness of God's terms. All that he asks on their part, in order to ensure on his part the full accomplishment of his purposes o! mercy, was that (as in the case of their fathers) which would he for their good. See previous remarks on Zechariah 7:9, Zechariah 7:10; and note that we have here, in verses 16, 17, the same thoughts and almost words as before, followed up, however, by two remarkable additions which seem specially meant for those times—the mention of false swearing (comp. Zechariah 5:4); and the implied assurance that, if these evils were persisted in, they would stop the current of God's love. "All these things, being hurtful to you, are hateful to me. Therefore, on every account, do them not."
Do we not see here, in conclusion:
1. The unchangeableness of God's nature? His dealings with men vary often and widely; his character, never. He is always true to his purpose; never, as men are, turned from it by caprice. The very variety of his dealings helps to demonstrate this. The very same sunshine which melts the ice hardens the clay. See this illustrated by the opposite effects of mercy and favour, hardening some (Isaiah 26:10; Ecclesiastes 8:11, etc.) and melting others (Psalms 130:4; Psalms 116:1, Psalms 116:12); also of affliction or chastisement, humiliating some (Luke 15:17-19; 2 Chronicles 33:12) and exasperating others (Genesis 4:13; 2 Chronicles 28:22; Revelation 9:20, Revelation 9:21).
2. The certainty of God's promises? Established, as we see, by God's very judgments, what wider base can they have (comp. Malachi 3:6; also Psalms 119:52, "I remembered thy judgments of old, and comforted myself")? In this way, how many (apparently) unlikely things combine to preach Christ! Even the thunders of Sinai itself (see in one sense, Galatians 3:24)! Other things, perhaps, more articulately as it were, but none with more power.