Peace and Restoration for Jerusalem
Zechariah 8The word of YHWH Almighty came to me. YHWH Almighty says: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”
YHWH says: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called ‘The City of Truth;’ and the mountain of YHWH Almighty, ‘The Holy Mountain.’”
YHWH Almighty says: “Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand because of their old age. The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”
YHWH Almighty says: “If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?” says YHWH Almighty.
YHWH Almighty says: “Look, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country. I will bring them, and they will dwell within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”
YHWH Almighty says: “Let y’all’s hands be strong, y’all who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets who were there the day that the foundation of the house of YHWH Almighty was laid, even the temple, so that it might be built. For before those days there was no wages for man nor any wages for an animal, neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor. But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says YHWH Almighty. “For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew. I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. It will come to pass that, as y’all were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save y’all, and y’all will be a blessing. So y’all must not be afraid! Instead let y’all’s hands be strong.”
For YHWH Almighty says: “Just as I had planned to do evil to y’all when y’all’s ancestors provoked me to wrath,” says YHWH Almighty, “and I did not relent, so now I have planned in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. So y’all must not be afraid. These are the things that y’all must do: every one of y’all must speak the truth to one another. And y’all are to render judgments of truth and peace in y’all’s city gates. Also, y’all must not plan evil in y’all’s hearts against one another, and do no love no false oath. For all these are things that I hate,” says YHWH.
The word of YHWH Almighty came to me. YHWH Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become feasts of joy, gladness, and cheer for the house of Judah. Therefore y’all must love truth and peace.”
YHWH Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come. The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat the favor of YHWH, and to seek YHWH Almighty. I will go also.’ Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek YHWH Almighty in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of YHWH.” YHWH Almighty says: “In those days, ten people from all the languages and nations will grab the robe of a Jew and say, ‘Let us go with y’all, because we have heard that God is with y’all.’”