LET US GO SPEEDILY TO PRAY BEFORE THE LORD

Zechariah is supremely the prophet of Messiah’s glory in His first and second advents.

Our verses are the climax of a glowing prophecy of Israel’s future restoration in Christ’s coming kingdom. That glorious age will be an age of earnest prayer. True worship will then be universal. Israel, restored to God’s favour, will be a messianic people - His representatives among the nations.

Zechariah foresees that God will replace Israel’s fasts with feasts, solemn commemoration with joyful celebration. He will do this by miraculous intervention. God is the God of the impossible. These will be the days of the Lord’s renewed presence in Jerusalem. Zion will know peace and security. Israel will be regathered and converted. God’s holy jealousy will secure this happy future.

These coming days will be marked by deep desires to entreat the favour of the Lord and to seek His face. That will be the most urgent concern of life. City will spread to city the invitation to enjoy communion with God. Note the individual response in verse 21 to that earnest appeal, ‘I will go also’. We should have the same commitment now to go on to seek the Lord’s face and to encourage others to do so. Are these our most pressing concerns?

Longing for real communion with the true God will be universal. False religion will be no more. Jerusalem will be the centre of divine illumination for all the world. There the nations will stream to experience the Lord’s presence. Let us take heart. God’s cause will finally triumph. His truth will prevail.

God will give Israel a world-wide role. Their restoration will be a blessing to all the nations. The world will know that God is with them and will yearn to share His presence. Through the Jews the Gentiles will come to know God as verse 23 dramatically illustrates.

May God give us, too, the privilege of leading others to share with us His blessing today.