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| 1 Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, |
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| 2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. |
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| 3 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. |
Dwell in the midst – A promise to the natural seed of Israel. R11:5
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| 4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. |
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| 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. |
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| 6 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. |
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| 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; |
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| 8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. |
Dwell in the midst – Chapter 8 teaches of Israel's return and the building of Jerusalem. R107:6*
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| 9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
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That the temple – The antitypical Temple, the glorified Church. R2021:1
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| 10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour. |
Before these days – During the time of trouble. D530
Connecting the trouble with the building of the great spiritual Temple. R2760:6
Preceding the building of the true antitypical Temple, the glorified Church. R2021:1
There was no hire – Want of employment--the natural outcome of growing want of confidence between man and man. HG22:2; R2515:2
Nor...any peace – But warfare between capital and labor, emperors and peoples. CR44:5
But trouble, more general and greater than the world has ever yet known. (Dan. 12:1) R1243:1
The affliction – Oppression. (Leeser) R2021:1
For I set all men – "For I will let loose all men," (Leeser) The trouble will be worldwide. There will be no place of safety except under divine providence. R2021:1
Every one – Every man for himself. R2460:6
Against – In competition with. R2515:2
His neighbour – In the country as well as in the city. F555
As soon as the political and financial powers begin to crumble, the warfare will become anarchy. SM454:2
Worldwide anarchy, accompanied eventually by all the horrors of the French Revolution. R1912:2, R5526:3; OV341:2
The climax toward which things are leading. R5790:6
Selfishness will be its basis. R4074:3, R4208:4, R5526:3, R2760:5; SM266:1; OV146:2; D530
Brought about by the cloudburst of truth and the rising waters of knowledge. R5604:5
Anger, hatred, malice of one nation against another will extend to persons. R5569:2
We are to expect the same condition in the church. R4208:4
Anarchy, the general uprising of the people, will bring on the great time of trouble of the Scripture. R5526:3; OV341:2
Brought on by the influence of Gospel enlightenment and the spirit of liberty operating in an unregenerate and selfish heart. OV146:2
In a time of anarchy brought on by the neglect of the golden rule. R2313:6
As a consequence of the world losing confidence in itself. SM734:2
The spirit of anarchy will spread from nations to individuals. OV419:4
Demonstrating that earthly blessings are really injurious to those out of tune with the Infinite One. HG639:4
For the government to advocate the taking of a side in the present war (1914) would foster the spirit of anarchy. R5569:2
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| 11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. |
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| 12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. |
Shall be prosperous – Already we perceive that we are in the gray dawn of that glorious day which God hath appointed. R1248:3
Shall give her fruit – Wholesome restraints, wise rulings and righteous discipline, shall bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness. R1248:3
And the ground – The earth also shall be saved-- recovered from the divine sentence or "curse." R5078:4
Remnant of this people – Then the Lord shall reign over regathered Israel in Mt. Zion. R4796:4
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| 13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. |
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| 14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: |
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| 15 So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. |
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| 16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: |
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| 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD. |
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| 18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, |
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| 19 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. |
And peace – "God hath called us to peace." (1 Cor.7:15) R2946:3, R2947:1
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| 20 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: |
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| 21 And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. |
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| 22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. |
In Jerusalem – In that Millennial time. PT385:2*
Fleshly Israel will be recognized as the chief nation of the earth. R83:2
To be the capital of the world under the Millennial Kingdom arrangements. OV69:1; A296; CR157:2
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| 23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. |
In those days – When the earthly phase of the kingdom is established. A296; C293; D628
The days of the building of the Temple and the time of trouble spoken of in verses 9 & 10. R107:6*
That ten men – Representing all other nations of the earth that will gather about Israel at that time. PT384:1*
Of the nations – "All nations shall flow into it." (Isa. 2:2) A297; D628
Him that is a Jew – "Salvation is of the Jews." (John 4:22) In the restitution work, fleshly Israel shall be used as a medium through whom salvation from spiritual Israel shall flow to all. C293
Fleshly Israel will, in the near future, be recognized as the chief nation of earth. R83:2
We will go – All nations, learning of the blessings of restitution to be bestowed in Israel, will say, "Come, let us go up." (Isa. 2:3) R4796:1; Q170:8
We have heard – The world will notice the blessings of health and prosperity bestowed upon Israel and wish to obtain the same. Q171:T; R4555:3
God is with you – Jewish restitution is the first item of the many blessings to be poured upon mankind. OV66:2, OV85:2; C287
They will say: "He has done for the Jew first; but he will also do for us." R4840:5
Verses 20 to 23, together with Ezek. 37, help to prove that the New covenant is with fleshly Israel only. R4530:1*
Thus, from Israel, under the New covenant, through Israel's Mediator, a way of approach to God will Be opened up for all the Gentiles. OV96:3; R1341:2
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