The City of No Limits

The City of No Limits

Series: The Minor Prophets

Text: Zechariah 2:1-13

Introduction: (What?)

I love seeing “city limit” signs. One that Rae and I especially enjoyed was one in Georgia with the words, “Meets every Thursday”. Of course, this sign had been erected by the Kiwanis Club. Some towns/cities extend their city limits by adding a “Police Jurisdiction” extension to it. In our text today we will find that the rebuilt Jerusalem would be a city without limits. The prophetical significance is that people from all nations will be part of the New Jerusalem.

Examination: (Why?)

1. Heavenly Intervention

Zech 2:1-5 “I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2. I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem to determine its width and length.” 3. Then the angel who was speaking with me went out, and another angel went out to meet him. 4. He said to him, “Run and tell this young man: Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the number of people and animals in it.” 5. The declaration of the Lord: “I myself will be a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory within it.””

The man with the measuring line (possibly the Pre-incarnate Christ) set out to measure the width and length of the city. This was common practice in the building trade of that day. Apparently he was planning to measure from wall to wall. However, he is interrupted by an angelic messenger with an urgent message, presumably from the throne of God. The measurement could not be taken because there were no walls. One commentator suggests that a wall-less city symbolized three ideas.(1) The city would be so vast that walls could not contain it, because of the number of people and livestock. (2) The city would be at peace, and the only protection needed would be provided by God Himself. (3) A wall of fire around it,(as was true during the Exodus) recalling God’s fiery appearances associated with the miracle of deliverance from Egyptian captivity makes clear that a physical wall would be unnecessary. These explanations seem to indicate that this is referring to the Millennial Kingdom. As we saw in the last message, people are flocking to Israel in our day. This could be a precursor to the Millennial Kingdom, which would mean that it is closer than we may think. Not only will God be “a wall of fire” around the city, but He will be “The glory within it”.

In Isa 4:2-6 the prophet seems to be describing the same scenario. “On that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of Israel’s survivors. Whoever remains in Zion and whoever is left in Jerusalem will be called holy—all in Jerusalem written in the book of life—when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodguilt from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning. Then the Lord will create a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night over the entire site of Mount Zion and over its assemblies. For there will be a canopy over all the glory, and there will be a shelter for shade from heat by day and a refuge and shelter from storm and rain.”

2. Calling all Jews

Then Zechariah turns from writing about the distant future to the present time (in his day).

Zech 2:6-9 ““Listen! Listen! Flee from the land of the north”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“for I have scattered you like the four winds of heaven”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “Listen, Zion! Escape, you who are living with Daughter Babylon.” For the Lord of Armies says this: “In pursuit of his glory, he sent me against the nations plundering you, for whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye. For look, I am raising my hand against them, and they will become plunder for their own servants. Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me.”

As sometimes happen, when a group of people have been in bondage for much of their lives, they become accustomed to life and bondage and are not excited about leaving even though they are set free to go. This was the case of the Israelites during the Exodus. They yearned to “go back home” to Egypt, to a life they had grown used to. In 2 Chron 36:22-23 “In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord roused the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and also to put it in writing: This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: The Lord, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build him a temple at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord his God be with him.”

Notice that he was giving permission for “any of His (God’s) people”. That means that they had a choice. One source said that there were approximately 1 million Jews in Babylon at the time the Persians took over. As we saw in the last message, only about 50,000 took Cyrus’s offer and returned to Jerusalem. In v 6 of our text it seems that God is almost begging them to leave Babylon and return to Jerusalem. One interesting descriptor He used regarding Babylon was calling her “Daughter Babylon”. HCSB noted that this may be “a hint of tenderness toward this pagan nation, even with judgment impending.” The sense is that even though God will judge pagan nations, it doesn’t mean that He hates them. I believe that the reference is to the fact that the Babylonians who had captured Jerusalem and taken Jews into exile were no longer alive. A new, more benevolent King was over them, and some Israelites were feeling OK about staying. I think God used the term almost in quotation marks to reflect the feeling of the Israelites who were hesitant to leave. God was about to bring judgment on Babylon and He warned His people to get out before judgment fell. In verses 8-9 God described what He was about to do and why. The Babylonians had cruelly dragged the inhabitants of Jerusalem who were “the apple of God’s eye” away, so now judgment was coming. God wanted those left in Babylon to get out quickly so that they would not suffer with the Babylonians.

3. Far-reaching Grace

Zech 2:10-13 ““Daughter Zion, shout for joy and be glad, for I am coming to dwell among you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day and become my people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me to you. The Lord will take possession of Judah as his portion in the Holy Land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem. Let all humanity be silent before the Lord, for from his holy dwelling he has roused himself.””

VV 10-13 seem to be spoken by the Pre-incarnate Christ and regards His reign in Jerusalem during the Millennial Kingdom. The reason they should get excited is that Jesus is coming to live among them. How would you feel if Jesus were to speak today and say, “Faith Baptist Church, I’m coming to join you?” When He does there will be an influx of people from Gentile nations who embrace Christ as Savior and are “grafted in” to the root of Israel and thus become “His people”. The HCSB refers this to the “miracle of grace”.

This chapter ends with a benediction like Habakkuk 2:20 “But the Lord is in his holy temple; let the whole earth be silent in his presence.” Here in vv 12-13 He says, The Lord will take possession of Judah as his portion in the Holy Land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem. Let all humanity be silent before the Lord, for from his holy dwelling he has roused himself.”” This is the “calm before the storm” of the judgment of God on the pagan nations.

Application: (How does this apply to my life?)

It is important to pay attention to what is happening in and around Israel. It is important to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Realize that if you have surrendered to Christ, you have been “grafted in” to the root of Israel.