Brit-Am Biblical Commentary (BABCOM) to the Book of Zechariah
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Zechariah (NKJV) 2:
1 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand.
A man. This too was an angel.
2 So I said, Where are you going?
And he said to me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.
3 And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him,
4 who said to him, Run, speak to this young man, saying: Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it.
5 For I, says the LORD, will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.
Jerusalem will be rebuilt. It will be a large sprawling Megapolis. The Almighty will protect it and make HIS Presence felt there.
Even now Jews who pray at the Western Wall sometimes have a premonition of what might be.
6 Up, up! Flee from the land of the north, says the LORD; for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven, says the LORD.
7 Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon
The Exiles of Babylon were primarily those of Judah whereas the Lost Ten Tribes had been taken away previously to Assyria.
As we have noted several times it is the Way of Prophecy to flit back and forth between events more or less contemporary with those of the Prophet, to those of the End Times.
The Prophet uses imagery from his own environment to extrapolate as to what will happen.
The Jews were scattered all over the earth. When one Gentile nation tried to exterminate them they went to another. In the same way as the world cannot exist without [the air of] winds so too can it not exist without Israel (Talmud, Avodah Zarah 12;b).
The Jews are here being urged to flee from the North. Perhaps this applied to Continental Europe during the Holocaust? Or was that only a forerunner?
Zechariah 2:8 For thus says the LORD of Hosts: He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.
after glory. In Hebrew the word translated here as "glory" is "Kevod" i.e. "honor." This expression "after honor" according to the Commentary "Daat Mikra" implies "for the sake of your honor." The word translated as "after" (Hebrew"acher") according to the context can in some cases mean ""because of," i.e. because of your honor, for the sake of it. For the sake of the Honor of the Almighty the Gentiles are warned to be careful how they treat Judah!
Who ever harms the Jews shall be judged as if they did the same to God Himself, and the opposite. Whoever helps the Jews will be rewarded. Whoever causes shame to the Jews is judged as if they had done the same to God Himself. The Honor of the Jews on this earth is that of God!
God will punish the Gentiles who oppressed Judah. We have spoken about this in our article, Four Craftsmen.
Ezekiel (NIV) 25:
12 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'Because Edom took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so, 13 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and kill both man and beast. I will lay it waste, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. 14 I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign LORD.'
Judah is to be taken seriously. The Lost Ten Tribes do not have to become Jewish nor copy the Jews. They have their own way. In some things they may learn from the Jews but in others not necessarily so. Each side my learn from the other, benefit from one another. Nevertheless, the Jews always have to be taken into account. The Almighty through HIS Prophets commands this.
Zechariah continues to speak and describes how the enemies of the Jews will have to make recompense for their offence.
Zechariah 2:9 For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me.
The enemies of Judah and Israel will be delivered over to them. We have spoken of this in our article, Four Craftsmen.
In a minor way this happened in the Jewish Wars against the Arabs. The Arabs tried to destroy the Jews but were defeated. The Jews took over their townships and lands in many areas. The Arabs later came to work for the Jews. They were pleased to do so on the whole since the Jews usually treated the workers better than their compatriots did.
After WW2 many German POWs were taken to do public works in Allied countreis and in Russia. Despite that compared to what they had done to others the Germans got off lightly as they themselves sometimes admit.
10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst, says the LORD.
11 Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.
The Lost Ten Tribes will return. Many of them will dwell alongside Judah while others will remain in the Lands they now possess.
Numerous non-Israelite foreigners will also attach themselves to Judah.
12 And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem.
13 Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His Holy Habitation!
The Almighty will again make HIS Presence felt in Jerusalem.