“As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.  Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.  For I have bent Judah, My bow, Fitted the bow with Ephraim, And raised up your sons, O Zion, Against your sons, O Greece, And made you like the sword of a mighty man.”  Zechariah 9:11-13

As we continue through this Chapter, the last section God revealed Jesus Is The Messiah, The King, the fulfillment of the prophecy riding through Jerusalem on a donkey (v9) But now God through the prophet Zechariah reveals more what that means for us all!

Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free! Because of what Christ has accomplished for us on the cross, Jesus has set us free from the curse and penalty of our sins, 

This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins  Matthew 26:28

Then the LORD will be seen over them, And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, And go with whirlwinds from the south. The LORD of hosts will defend them; They shall devour and subdue with slingstones. They shall drink and roar as if with wine; They shall be filled with blood like basins, Like the corners of the altar.  V14-15

God has promised to save Israel and his people, as He has done throughout time. This will trigger the physical return of Christ, when all the world comes against Israel to destroy them, but the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Son of God will come back on the Mt of Olives and save them

This is also foretold by the Apostle Paul in Romans 11:, the Deliverer , the Messiah Jesus will come out of Zion (Jerusalem, and turn away the ungodliness of Jacob (Israel). All of Isreal, God elect will be saved by Christ!

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;  Romans 11:26

The LORD their God will save them in that day, As the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, Lifted like a banner over His land—  For how great is its goodness And how great its beauty! Grain shall make the young men thrive, And new wine the young women.  V16-17

How will Israel be saved? The same way the world will be saved through Jesus Christ, the only way to salvation! (John 14:6) Some translations say “As a Shepherd (the flock) of His people” What did Jesus reveal to us, that Christ is The Good Shepherd who lays down his life for His Sheep! Amen!

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  John 10:11

Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘The fast of the fourth month, The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’ Zechariah 8:18-19

God is revealing and acknowledging, that these fasts , which are literal and historic, are coming to full completion, that God is going restore Israel and Jerusalem

Fast of 4th Month- Breaching of Jerusalem’s walls (2 King 25:3-4)

Fast of 5th Month- Destruction of The Temple (2 Kings 25:8-9)

Fast of 7th Month- assasination of Gedaliah (2 Kings 25:25)

Fast of 10th Month- Beginning of Nebuchadnezzar’s siege (2 Kings 25:1)

These fasting of mourning have been turned into joy because of Gods great promise and restoration, this should give us all hope, as this is also pointing to the Millennial Reign of Christ (Revelation 20)

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Peoples shall yet come, Inhabitants of many cities; The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us continue to go and pray before the LORD, And seek the LORD of hosts. I myself will go also.” Zechariah 8:20-21

Not only will Jerusalem be restored for Israel, but for the entire world. “People shall yet come” this is not just reference to the Jewish people, but for the Gentiles also. Everyone will come to Jerusalem to seek The Lord Jesus Christ! This was also foretold by the prophet Isaiah:

In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. / And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:2-3

Yes, many peoples and strong nations Shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, And to pray before the LORD.’ “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ” Zechariah 8:22-23

Many people, including strong nations shall come to seek Jesus Christ, the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords (Phillipians 2) People from every language (all nations) Let us Go with you! God is with You!

This is not just a prophecy for the Jewish people, but for the entire world, this is the New Covenant instituted by Christ (Luke 22) this is the Millennial Reign of Christ, Jesus is sitting on the throne in Jerusalem and will rule with a rod of iron, Amen!

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10