Homecoming

One summer after a long vacation trip, my five-year-old son Drew recognized the large grain silo that marked the edge of our town. “Hooray!” he cheered. “We are at the end of home!” There is nothing quite like coming home. The Jewish exiles felt a great longing to return to Jerusalem. Not just because it was their home, but also because it was the center of their worship.

Homecoming is one of Zechariah’s great themes. God had not really forgotten His people in exile. The Hebrew word for “scatter” in verse 9 is an agricultural image. Israel’s exiles had been “sown” among the nations. God preserved them as a people and caused them to grow. The promise in verse 10 envisioned a growth so great that the land would not be able to contain it. The scope of these promises extended beyond Zechariah’s lifetime to a greater restoration during the time of the Messiah.

The list of nations is representative rather than exhaustive (v. 10). Egypt was the prototypical land of bondage for God’s people. It was the location of their first great deliverance. The first wave of exile came when the Assyrians invaded the northern kingdom of Israel. The prophet Jeremiah mentioned Gilead in one of his laments over the fall of Jerusalem (Jer. 8:22). The mention of Gilead and Lebanon signaled the restoration of Israel’s land to its original boundaries. This passage speaks of a spiritual restoration as well. Not only will there be a return to the Land of Promise in the last days, but there also will be a great turning to Christ.

God did not forget His people during their exile. When they were cut off from the sanctuary in Jerusalem, God was their sanctuary (Ezek. 11:16). He promised to make a home for them in the distant lands to which they had been sent (Jer. 29:28).

Pray with Us

We rely on the expertise of our ITS personnel to troubleshoot computer issues, fix hardware problems, and provide technology support. Today, please pray for the Support Center staff: James Bachelder, Jonathan Peyer, and Luke Shumate.

BY Dr. John Koessler

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. John authors the “Practical Theology” column for Today in the Word of which he is also a contributing writer and theological editor. An award-winning author, John’s newest title is When God is Silent: Let the Bible Teach You to Pray (Kirkdale). Prior to joining the Moody faculty, he served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He and his wife, Jane, now enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan.