I WILL LIVE AMONG YOU

Passage: Zechariah 2:1-13

Key verse: 11

NIV

A Man With a Measuring Line

2 [a]Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?”

He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.”(A)

3 While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls(B) because of the great number(C) of people and animals in it.(D) 5 And I myself will be a wall(E) of fire(F) around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory(G) within.’(H)

6 “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered(I) you to the four winds of heaven,”(J) declares the Lord.(K)

7 “Come, Zion! Escape,(L) you who live in Daughter Babylon!”(M) 8 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye(N)— 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them.[b](O) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.(P)

10 “Shout(Q) and be glad, Daughter Zion.(R) For I am coming,(S) and I will live among you,”(T) declares the Lord.(U) 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.(V) I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.(W) 12 The Lord will inherit(X) Judah(Y) as his portion in the holy land and will again choose(Z) Jerusalem. 13 Be still(AA) before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.(AB)”

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Footnotes
  1. Zechariah 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:5-17.
  2. Zechariah 2:9 Or says after … eye: 9 “I … plunder them.”
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

A Vision of a Man with a Measuring Line

2 [a] And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, (A)a man with a measuring line in his hand! 2 Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, (B)“To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” 3 And behold, (C)the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him 4 and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, (D)‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited (E)as villages without walls, because of (F)the multitude of people and livestock in it. 5 And I will be to her (G)a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”

6 Up! Up! (H)Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. For I have (I)spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the Lord. 7 (J)Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. 8 For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me[b] to the nations who plundered you, (K)for he who touches you touches (L)the apple of his eye: 9 “Behold, (M)I will shake my hand over them, (N)and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then (O)you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. 10 (P)Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for (Q)behold, I come (R)and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. 11 (S)And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. (T)And I will dwell in your midst, and (U)you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 12 (V)And the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again (W)choose Jerusalem.”

13 Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

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Footnotes
  1. Zechariah 2:1 Ch 2:5 in Hebrew
  2. Zechariah 2:8 Or he sent me after glory
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

In Zechariah’s third vision, a man uses a measuring line to find out how wide and long Jerusalem is. An angel meets the man and tells him that in the future, Jerusalem will not be measurable. The city will not have walls because there will be so many people and animals living in it. But it will not be an unfortified city. God himself will be a wall of fire around it and his own glory will be within the city.

God invites his people to flee and escape from Babylon, where they had been exiled, and from all the places to which they had been scattered. The time has come to return to the LORD. God will plunder those who had plundered his people, the apple of his eye. Not only was this invitation and promise for the Jews, but for all nations (11). Instead of living in exile, far from the LORD, people from all nations are invited to live with God in this new Jerusalem. This is a picture of God’s kingdom.

Do you feel comfortable or stuck in a spiritual Babylon? Are you struggling for purpose and direction? God still invites you today to flee and escape your spiritual Babylon and live in his presence. God desires this not only for us individually but for peoples of all nations. Let’s shout, be glad, and pray for people everywhere to be joined to the LORD (10-11).

Prayer: Father, we flee from the world and into your presence. Bring many nations to repentance.

One Word: God will live among us